Sea Guardian 2023 to deepen Pakistan China multi-dimensional strategic partnership

KARACHI, : Pakistan-China Joint Naval Exercise Sea Guardian 2023 will enhance bilateral security cooperation to develop a Pak-China multi-dimensional strategic partnership and also open new avenues for future maritime cooperation against common threats in the region.

It was stated by Pakistan Navy’s Commodore Asim Sohail Malik and Chinese People’s Liberation Army (Navy)’s Senior Captain Qi Jian in a joint press conference held here on Monday to brief the media about objectives, contours and conduct of the exercise Sea Guardian 2023.

Commodore Asim Sohail Malik said that Pakistan and China have always enjoyed strategically unique and strong relationships and this exercise will further strengthen the decades-old and time-tested friendship of both countries.

“The exercise will also open new avenues for future maritime cooperation between two friendly navies against common threats in the region,” he added.

Senior Captain Qi Jian, while addressing the press conference, said that the main purpose of the exercise was to enhance bilateral security cooperation to develop a Pak-China multi-dimensional strategic partnership.

The exercise aims at enhancing the capabilities of both the Navies to jointly deal with terrorism and crime at sea and to promote efforts for a safe maritime environment and defence of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), he noted adding that the exercise is a reiteration of commitment for further enhancing the all weather and time tested friendship of both the countries.

Frontline Destroyer, Frigates, Helicopters, Rescue Ship, Submarines and Special Forces from the Pakistan Navy and Peoples Liberation Army (Navy) are participating in this exercise, they informed.

The exercise is divided into two phases i.e. Harbour and Sea phases. During harbour activities, both navies shared their experiences on contemporary maritime security threats and challenges through various workshops, seminars and tabletop discussions.

They stated that the Sea Phase of the exercise -to be conducted in the North Arabian Sea from November 14 to 16, 2023- would encompass advance-level naval operations including maritime security Operations, tactical manoeuvres, various warfare-related exercises and Search and Rescue operations to deal with a variety of threats at sea.

It is pertinent to mention that the First bilateral Exercise Sea Guardian with the People’s Liberation Army (Navy) was held in 2014 and has regularly been conducted each year alternately in Pakistan and China.