Pakistan, China hold first joint naval patrol to safeguard CPEC

Chinese and Pakistani naval warships have begun joint maritime patrol in the northern Arabain Sea for the first time in history.

The joint drills are part of the two countries’ concrete actions to safeguard the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy’s Type 054A frigate Linyi and the Pakistan Navy’s F-22P frigate Saif formed a task group and launched the joint patrol in waters around major maritime routes and port channels in the northern Arabian Sea for the drills.

The joint patrol is an important part of the Sea Guardian-3 joint exercise, which is dedicated to displaying the two countries’ common duties and firm determination in safeguarding CPEC, according to the press release.

During the joint patrol, the two sides conducted training that included joint search and rescue operations, formation manoeuvering and VBSS (visit, board, search and seizure), effectively enhancing their capabilities in jointly dealing with maritime security threats, the PLA Navy said.

During another part of Sea Guardian-3, six warships, including the PLA Navy’s Type 052D destroyer Zibo, Type 054A frigate Jingzhou and Type 903 replenishment ship Qiandaohu as well as the Pakistan Navy’s Type 054A/P frigate Shah Jahan, formed a task group and launched the sea phase of the drill in the northern Arabian Sea, the PLA Navy said in a separate press release.

“The Arabian Sea is important to both China and Pakistan in terms of goods and energy transport, highlighted by CPEC that connects the two countries’ economic activities, so it is important for the two countries to safeguard this sea lane from security threats,” Song said. Such type of joint naval patrols would likely to become routine, Song said. it was the third and the largest edition of the Sea Guardian exercise.