President Zardari Lauds China’s Aviation Advances, Vows Deeper Defence Ties During Historic AVIC Visit
ISLAMABAD — President Asif Ali Zardari on Sunday praised China’s cutting-edge J-10 and JF-17 fighter jets for enhancing Pakistan’s air defence, pledging to broaden defence and aviation cooperation between the two nations.
Zardari became the first foreign head of state to tour the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) — the state-owned aerospace giant behind the J-10C — during a visit to its Chengdu facility. He was joined by his children, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and MNA Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari, alongside Senator Saleem Mandviwalla, Pakistan’s envoy to China Khalil Hashmi, and Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong.
Meeting AVIC’s engineers and scientists, the president hailed the company as “a symbol of China’s technological excellence and a testament to the enduring Pakistan-China strategic partnership.” He credited Chinese-built aircraft for their proven performance during recent operations, including Maarka-i-Haq and Bunyanum Marsoos.
AVIC officials showcased the J-10C, the jointly produced JF-17 Thunder, the fifth-generation J-20 stealth fighter, and advanced drone systems.
Later, President Zardari travelled by high-speed rail from Chengdu to Mianyang, commending China’s pollution-free electric propulsion and earthquake early warning systems as “remarkable feats of railway engineering.” He said China’s 45,000-kilometre high-speed network—carrying over 2 billion passengers annually at speeds of up to 350 km/h—offered “valuable lessons” for Pakistan’s own transport ambitions.
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