A report by the Pentagon highlights the cooperation between China and Pakistan in sectors such as defence and space, adding that Beijing “likely also considered” setting up a base in Pakistan.
IMAGE: Kindly note that the image has been posted only for representational purposes. Photograph: Jason Lee/Reuters
In its annual report to Congress on Tuesday on ‘Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China 2025’, the US Department of War said the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is actively considering and planning for additional military facilities.
These facilities will support naval and air projection with associated ground security forces. Pakistan is one of the countries where China has likely considered setting up a base.
“China has likely also considered basing in Angola, Bangladesh, Burma, Cuba, Equatorial Guinea, Indonesia, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand, Tanzania, United Arab Emirates, and Vanuatu,” the report said.
The PLA is probably most interested in military access along the sea lines of communication in the Malacca Strait, the Strait of Hormuz, and other areas in Africa and the Middle East, it added.
In March 2025, Gabonese President Brice Oligui Nguema confirmed China’s interest in a base in the Gulf of Guinea, alleging that PLA basing in Gabon was discussed with President Xi in 2024.
China offers three combat aircraft for export, including the fifth-generation FC-31 and the fourth-generation J-10C multirole combat aircraft, and the China-Pakistan co-produced JF-17 light combat aircraft, it said.
In addition to manned aircraft, China has supplied strike-capable Caihong and Wing Loong UAVs to Algeria, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iraq, Morocco, Myanmar, Pakistan, Serbia, and the UAE.
As of May 2025, China delivered 20 units — their only J-10C exports –to Pakistan as part of two previous orders totalling 36 since 2020.
On space cooperation, the report said that throughout 2024, China increased its space cooperation outreach worldwide, probably to boost its image as a collaborative space power while “undermining US global leadership”, particularly with developing nations.
As of December 2024, China has signed nearly 200 intergovernmental space cooperation agreements with more than 50 countries and international organisations, covering fields including earth observation, deep space exploration, satellite development, lunar exploration, and manned spaceflight.
“In 2024, Senegal became the latest country to join the China-led International Lunar Research Station (ILRS), and entities from the United Arab Emirates, Switzerland, Panama, Serbia, Pakistan, South Africa, and Indonesia signed agreements on ILRS cooperation.
China also has a close bilateral space partnership with Russia and in 2024, Beijing publicly reaffirmed its intent to expand space cooperation with Moscow,” it said.
During the next five years, China probably will grow its naval export market, adding to a customer base that currently includes Bangladesh, Malaysia, Pakistan, and Thailand.
In 2024, China accepted Thailand’s proposal to purchase either two offshore patrol vessels or one frigate. As of April 2024, China had not delivered any Yuan submarines but had delivered two Ming-class submarines to Bangladesh in 2016 and one to Burma in 2021.
In 2017 and 2018, China sold two frigates to Bangladesh and four to Pakistan, respectively, it said.
