Chinese envoy calls on Pak Army chief, discusses bilateral ties and regional security situation

Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Yao Jing on Monday called on army chief General Qamar Bajwa and discussed matters of mutual interest, including regional security situation, the Pakistan Army said.

The meeting came days after Pakistan Army announced that it would deploy another division-size special force to protect Chinese nationals and projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

According to Inter-Services Public Relations, the Pakistan military's media wing, matters of mutual interest including regional security situation were discussed in the meeting held at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi.

Pakistan's civil-military leaders frequently hold meetings with Chinese officials in the backdrop of the multi-billion dollar CPEC project.

The CPEC is a 3,000-kilometre network of roads, pipelines and railways to connect Gwadar port in Pakistan to Kashgar in the Xinjiang region of China.

In a recent interview with the Chinese state media, chief military spokesperson Major General Asif Ghafoor said Pakistan military had raised a whole division-sized force to ensure the security of the CPEC, and was planning to deploy another division for the purpose. His statement came as some of the CPEC-linked project have been attacked by separatists in provinces like Balochistan.

Earlier reports said a Special Security Division (SSD) comprising 9,000 Pakistan Army soldiers and 6,000 para-military forces personnel has been set up for the security of the CPEC project and Chinese nationals working on it.