Amid deepening military and strategic ties between Islamabad and Beijing, China on Friday launched the second multi-role warship for Pakistan's Navy.
The launch of the second advanced-warship Type 054A/P was held at China's state-owned Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard in Shanghai.
China has been investing hugely in major maritime and non-maritime projects, especially in countries such as Sri Lanka and Pakistan, where it is building strategic bases, growing its presence in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
Since 2017 the Pakistan Navy has contracted construction of four Type 054A/P frigates from China, with the first ship launched in August 2020, the Global Times reported.
All ships are being delivered according to the schedule, the Pakistan Navy has stated.
In a recent interview to Global Times, Pakistan Naval Staff chief Admiral M. Amjad Khan Niazi had said: "These will be some of the most technologically advanced platforms of the Pakistan Navy Surface Fleet, equipped with modern surface, subsurface and anti-air weapons, sensors and combat management systems.”
Citing experts, the Global Times stated that "China has urgent strategic and tactical needs in amphibious assault ship development."
"… it requires such warships to safeguard territorial integrity and sovereignty in the island of Taiwan and the South China Sea," it added.
The domestically built Type 075 amphibious assault ship has been launched from Shanghai-based Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard with the help of tug boats.
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