Chinese soldiers arrive in Pakistan for joint exercise

Chinese soldiers arrived in Pakistan on Saturday for a three-week counterterrorism exercise between the two nations’ special forces.

A contingent of the People Liberation Army China arrived to take part in the Warrior-VI exercises starting Sunday, said a statement from Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), a mouthpiece of Pakistan’s army.

“Troops of Special Service Groups from both armies will participate in a three-week-long exercise. The focus of the joint exercise is to share respective experiences in the field of counter-terrorism operations and learn from each other,” the statement added.

This is the sixth joint exercise of a series as part of bilateral military cooperation between the two longtime allies.

Squeezed by budding defense ties between the U.S. and India, especially after a civil nuclear treaty was signed between the two last year, Pakistan has been working to forge a new strategic partnership with longtime ally China.

The two allies are engaged in a massive multibillion-dollar cooperation deal known as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project, which aims to provide Chinese cargo with rapid access to Central Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.

The project also aims to spur Pakistan’s development in transportation, road construction, and energy.