Pakistan and China pledged greater strategic coordination this week during high-level security talks in Beijing. These talks marked an intensification of bilateral defense cooperation amid rising challenges to regional security associated with China’s Belt and Road investments in Pakistan.
Pakistan and China held talks during Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir’s official visit to Beijing as Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan, meeting senior Chinese political and military figures including Vice President Han Zheng, Foreign Minister Wang Yi, General Zhang Youxia, General Chen Hui and Lieutenant General Cai Zhai Jun. [Sources] (Khyber News + YouTube Recorder + Khyber News); [source: Business Recorder].
Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) reported that both nations placed great emphasis on increasing operational interoperability and strengthening strategic coordination to combat “hybrid and transnational threats”, such as cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns that foster cross-border militancy, as well as attacks against critical infrastructure (for example). The Daily CPEC Recorder + 8 | Instagram plus 8 also covered this story on Wednesday (26 November).
Chinese military leadership reaffirmed their confidence in Pakistan-China military relations by hailing its vital role in maintaining peace and stability across South Asia. Field Marshal Munir responded positively by affirming Pakistan’s commitment to expanding military collaboration across all domains – modernisation, intelligence sharing and joint training exercises being some of the areas covered. For more details see The News Recorder or Business Recorder as these articles have more coverage.
Security Under Attack
The enhanced coordination comes after attacks targeting Chinese personnel and infrastructure linked to the $62 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), particularly in volatile Balochistan province. Militant groups including Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), have claimed responsibility for violent incidents which have killed Chinese engineers and disrupted key development projects; China responded by pressing Islamabad for improved security arrangements as well as permitting its security staff to protect its nationals in Pakistan – proposals still under negotiation (The Guardian +2; Reuters +2 and Financial Times +2); China responded by pushing Islamabad for improved security arrangements as well as considering allowing Chinese security staff from protecting its nationals within Pakistan (proposals still being discussed between both parties), with China pushing Islamabad for improved security arrangements while simultaneously considering allowing Chinese security staff protecting its nationals within Pakistan (the proposals still being discussed within negotiations).
Pakistan-China dialogue reportedly acknowledged these threats by taking steps to deepen intelligence sharing and co-develop standard operating procedures intended to safeguard Chinese investments and personnel. Islamabad reiterated its “national responsibility” in providing security assurance on behalf of bilateral partnerships (Reuters +1 and Geo News both had similar reports).
Institutional Enhancements
Parallel with these bilateral moves, Pakistan launched the National Intelligence Fusion and Threat Assessment Centre (NIFTAC) in May 2025 as a central intelligence hub, linking over 50 federal and provincial agencies under NACTA for threat analysis and response protocols across Pakistan — in line with their hardened strategic posture discussed at Beijing talks. NIFTAC serves to unify these protocols across the nation — in line with what has been discussed during these talks (En.wikipedia.org/wikipedia/NEWSSECTION=NACTA).
Analysts see Pakistan-China security alignments within the wider geopolitical architecture: China remains Pakistan’s primary arms supplier, accounting for 63% of arms imports between 2019-2024. Their defense cooperation–from joint projects such as JF-17 fighter jets to sharing military exercises like Shaheen–underscores decades of strategic alignment against regional pressures such as India or Western influence, whilst simultaneously strengthening bilateral relationships. For more details visit Wikipedia for details (en.wikipedia.org for links).
Beijing has begun reviewing its security arrangements within Pakistan as the scale of threats–particularly ambushes targeting Chinese investments–has increased. To meet this threat level, they have also increased collaboration between Islamabad’s security forces and foreign private security providers, signalling their desire for robust protection for Belt and Road assets, according to Financial Times.
Pakistan and China, through their meetings in Beijing, have demonstrated their shared understanding that hybrid threats require not just military drills but institutionalized responses as well as strategic responses. Islamabad’s creation of NIFTAC also illustrates Pakistan’s dedication to creating a unified national security approach.
As China and Russia expand cooperation across defense modernisation, intelligence gathering, counterterrorism efforts and emerging technology sectors, their success will depend on realising high-level pledges into operational synergy in protecting vulnerable CPEC assets while mitigating growing security threats in an ever-complex regional security environment.