Islamabad:
President Asif Ali Zardari reaffirmed on Sunday that Pakistan and China would continue to extend collaboration in defense production and aviation, further deepening their strategic partnership.
He said that the J-10 and the JF-17 had considerably strengthened Pakistan Air Force, a clearly demonstrated fact during the Marka-E-Haq operation and the Bunyanum Marsoos operation in May 2025.
The President visited the Aviation Corporation Industry of China (AVIC), the flagship conglomerate of the Chinese aerospace and defense engaged in the design and production of a wide range of military and civil aircraft, President Secretariat Press Wing said in a statement.
During the visit, the president visited the entire sprawling complex, which produced the J-10C fighter plane which played a crucial role during the recent conflict with India.
He also met with engineers and scientists AVIC, who informed the president of their innovation, their production and their future technologies.
AIF Zardari has been informed of the advanced capacities of Avic, in particular the J-10 Fighter Jet, the co-production of the JF-17 Thunder with Pakistan, as well as progress in 5th generation J-20 hunter planes, without pilot air vehicles, fully automated units and integrated command systems for modern multiple operations.
He praised Avic as a symbol of the technological advancement of China and the sustainable strategic partnership between the two countries.
The visit of President Zardari also marked a historic first, because no foreign head of state visited the Avic complex.
Find out more: The president reaffirms Pakistan’s support for the Chinese vision of cultural exchange
President Zardari arrived in Chengdu on Friday to start a 10 -day visit to China at the invitation of the Chinese government. On the first day, he attended the second Golden Panda Awards and had interviews with higher members of the Chinese Communist Party (CPC).
Addressing the international culture forum on Saturday, the president said that culture had remained a “vital bridge to peace, prosperity and a shared future for humanity”.
He expressed the full support of Pakistan to the vision of China of “the exchange of civilization and mutual learning” and underlined the importance of the global development initiative (GDI), the Global Security Initiative (GSI) and the Global Governance Initiative (GGI), emphasizing their concentration on sustainable development, regional stability and inclusive international cooperation.
Zardari noted that the world underwent dramatic changes, praising President Xi Jinping for having offered “a cooperation path and win-win solutions instead of confrontation”. He congratulated the winners, describing their creativity as an artistic enterprise which “transcends borders and unites people through shared human values”.
