China, Pakistan militaries maintain close exchanges

The militaries of China and Pakistan have maintained close, practical exchanges and cooperation for years, including naval visits, docking and resupplying, Defense Ministry spokesman Yang Yujun said on Wednesday.

Yang made the remark in response to recent claims by a Pakistani naval official that China was sending naval ships to Pakistan's Gwadar port, a key deep-water port in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor that opened on Nov 13, to protect regional security, according to Pakistan's Express Tribune.

The military official also said China would deploy a submarine at the port and establish a base there to provide maintenance for the Chinese naval fleet operating in the Indian Ocean.

Yang said he had no information about any plans by the People's Liberation Army establishing any other overseas supply facilities.