Asim Munir In China, Meets Wang Yi As Islamabad Ramps Up Military Diplomacy | Exclusive

Last Updated:July 25, 2025, 09:39 IST

The visit comes as Pakistan, on the back foot after its clash with India over the Pahalgam attack, is doubling down on military diplomacy to reinforce strategic partnerships

Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff and Field Marshal, General Asim Munir, is currently in China where he met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff and Field Marshal, General Asim Munir, is currently in China, where he met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, CNN-News18 has learnt.

During the meeting, China reiterated its firm support for Pakistan’s efforts to combat all forms of terrorism. Beijing also expressed hope that the Pakistani military would continue to ensure the security of Chinese personnel, projects and institutions within the country.

General Munir, on his part, said that strengthening friendly cooperation with China enjoys broad support across Pakistani society. He pledged that the Pakistani military will continue to take all necessary measures to safeguard Chinese citizens, enterprises and projects in Pakistan, while actively enhancing counter-terrorism cooperation with China.

The visit comes at a time when Pakistan, on the back foot after its recent conflict with India in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack, is aggressively pursuing military diplomacy to bolster strategic partnerships, diversify defence alliances, and reposition itself as a regional defence player.

Leading this effort is Asim Munir, whose ongoing outreach follows recent high-level visits to the United States, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Türkiye, Iran, and Azerbaijan. His visit to China comes in the middle of a broader tour that included Sri Lanka from July 20–22 and Indonesia from July 24–26.

According to top military sources, these visits are not routine diplomacy, they are calibrated moves aimed at forging long-term military cooperation, securing defence deals, and aligning Pakistan with like-minded nations in a shifting regional security landscape.

The Chinese leg of the tour was kept under wraps due to the sensitive nature of discussions, which reportedly centre around intelligence-sharing, defence procurement, and regional power balance in the Indo-Pacific.

A key component of Pakistan’s outreach is the promotion of Chinese and Turkish defence technology, particularly the JF-17 Thunder fighter jets and Bayraktar drones. These platforms are being pitched to countries like Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Iran, with Pakistani military leadership highlighting their performance and affordability, especially following their reported use during the conflict with India.

Earlier this year, defence ministers from Türkiye and Indonesia visited Islamabad, holding high-level talks on military training, joint production and regional security.

Sources close to Pakistan’s General Headquarters (GHQ) describe this wave of diplomacy as part of a long-term vision to reshape Pakistan’s military partnerships amid changing regional dynamics. Munir has reportedly briefed top military forums that his earlier visits to Washington, Riyadh, Abu Dhabi, Ankara, Baku and Tehran were “highly successful diplomatic manoeuvres," establishing a wide network of defence cooperation.

Through this series of engagements, Pakistan is seeking to move beyond traditional alignments and pursue shared security initiatives across South Asia, Southeast Asia and the broader Middle East.

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