SPA - Pakistan and China will hold second joint naval exercise next week in the Arabian sea close to Karachi coast, officials said. A fleet of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy will join the Pakistan Navy in the Arabian Sea. The Chinese naval fleet would comprise two ships, a missile destroyer and helicopters, officials said. It will be the first ever combined maritime drill by the Chinese navy in alien sea areas, likely to take place from November 21 to 24. The two navies will focus on items in non-traditional areas, such as joint search-and-rescue operation. A large number of sailors and officers from both sides will take part in the exercise in the efforts to strengthen their decades old military-to-military relations and further enhance their professional skill. The two countries conducted their first-ever exercise in November 2003 near the Shanghai coast. It was the first time Chinese naval forces held a joint exercise with a foreign counterpart since the founding of the People's Republic of China. Now the Chinese side will be visiting the Pakistan's seawater to have the similar drill. As part of long-standing bilateral cooperation in the defense field, the two countries have been maintaining frequent exchanges to benefit from each other experience, strengthening their defense potential, officials said. The cooperation between two navies covered various areas of the mutual interest. According to a decision taken in July this year, China will provide four F-22P advanced quality frigates to Pakistan by 2013. Of these, three will be manufactured in China, while one frigate will be built in Pakistan. The first frigate will be available to Pakistan Navy within a period of three and half years. Besides, the Chinese side will provide six medium-size standardized helicopters (Z-9C) to Pakistan Navy.
