US Military Partner Upgrades Navy With China-Made Submarines [Video]

Pakistan, a United States military partner in South Asia, will put its first China-made submarine into service “very soon,” Chinese state media reported on Wednesday.

Newsweek has reached out to the U.S. State Department, the Chinese Defense Ministry, and Pakistan‘s navy for comment by email.

Why It Matters

The nuclear-armed Pakistan is designated by Washington as its Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA), according to the U.S. State Department. While this status comes with military and economic privileges, it does not entail any U.S. security commitments to Islamabad.

Pakistan enjoys the so-called “all-weather strategic cooperative partnership” with China; both sides have viewed the relationship as a priority and cornerstone of their foreign policy, including high-level security cooperation in combating terrorism.

What To Know

According to the Global Times, Pakistan has signed a deal with China to acquire eight Hangor-class conventionally powered submarines, with each country producing four vessels. The first of the new submarines, …