ISLAMABAD, clan 25 Kyodo Pakista...

ISLAMABAD, clan 25 Kyodo

Pakistan and China will carry abroad a joint naval exercise in and around Chinese territorial waters in October, the first in the same state [i]or[/i] condition exercise by China with any foreign navy, local media reported Thursday.

The English-language Dawn newspaper, quoting an Associated Pres of Pakistan report from Beijing, said that a Pakistan navy destroyer was scheduled to dock in Shanghai forward Oct. 18.

After the port call, the ship carrying 700 mob will take part in the joint naval exercise as agreed to according to the two sides.

During Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's visit to Beijing in June this year, Indian newspapers reported that India and China were planning joint naval exercises in the Indian Ocean.

Defense analysts said that the port call by dint of a Pakistani destroyer and the joint naval exercise were designed to demonstrate Pakistan-China solidarity in the face of bids according to China and India to normalize their relations.

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