China hands over third maritime patrol ship to Pakistan

BEIJING: China has handed a 600-ton patrol ship over to Pakistan’s maritime safety authority in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, reported the Chinese newspaper People’s Daily.

Among other things, the ship will be used to safeguard Pakistan’s maritime interests.

The new ship, just the third of its kind, was built by China Shipbuilding Trading Company Ltd. (CSTC) and China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) Xijiang Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. Its two predecessors have already demonstrated their reliability and excellent performance during visits and exchanges, joint drills, maritime rescue and other missions in Pakistan.

Pakistan’s maritime safety authority expressed appreciation for the quality of the ships and for sound cooperation with Chinese ship manufactures, who have promised to provide after-sale services, the report said.

“The ships are key to consolidating China-Pakistan relations, protecting Pakistan’s sea transportation and pushing forward the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and Belt and Road Initiative.”