Pakistani naval ship SAIF arrived at Wusong Port in Shanghai on November 29 to participate in a joint naval exercise (COURTESY OF PAKISTAN EMBASSY IN CHINA)

Pakistani naval ship SAIF arrived on November 29 in Shanghai on a goodwill visit and to participate in joint naval exercise in a bid to boost bilateral defense cooperation with Chinese Navy.

When the Pakistani naval ship arrived at the Wusong Naval Port, it was welcomed by Chinese Navy, with Senior Captain Wei Xiaodong of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and officials of the Government of Shanghai Municipality as well as Pakistan’s Consul General in Shanghai Naeem Khan attending the event.

Senior Captain Wei Xiaodong (right) of PLA received Pakistani Captain Shahzad Iqbal (left), Commanding officer PNS SAIF at the welcome ceremony in Shanghai on November 28 (COURTESY OF PAKISTAN EMBASSY IN CHINA)

PNS SAIF is commandeered by Captain Shahzad Iqbal, Commander 18thDestroyer Squadron of Pakistan Navy. On the speaking occasion, Captain Iqbal highlighted the significance of the visit and brotherly relations between Pakistan and China.

“We traveled more than 9,000 Nautical Miles from Pakistan to Shanghai. This distance will reduce manifold on completion of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.”

PNS SAIF was built in 2010 in Shanghai and this was its first visit to Shanghai.

According to Captain Iqbal, the ship will participate in a bilateral naval exercise. This would be the Fifth Joint Naval Exercise in the series. Pakistan Navy and Chinese Navy have longstanding relations.

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