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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and China on Friday signed a memorandum of understanding for a long-term collaboration in defence production including development of an airborne early warning surveillance system.
The announcement came during the visit of Chinese President Hu Jintao to Pakistan. China has been the main supplier of military hardware to Pakistan for decades.
A statement from Pakistan's air force said the two countries agreed on collaboration and co-development of aircraft manufacturing and related fields.
Pakistan, concerned over rival India's growing defence capabilities, in May approved plans for the purchase of a $1 billion airborne early warning surveillance system from Swedish firms Saab and Ericsson to boost its air defences.
The system includes Saab 2000 turboprop aircraft equipped with airborne radar from Ericsson.
Pakistan has made downpayment for the Swedish system and expects the delivery to begin by 2009 at the latest, a military official said.
Pakistan's air force is already collaborating with Chinese aviation company, CATIC, in the co-development and co-production of JF-17 Thunder fighter aircraft.
Pakistan is set to get the first batch of eight medium-technology fighter jets from China next year and the country will start manufacturing the aircraft locally from January 2008, officials said.
Nuclear-armed Pakistan and India have continued to focus on building their military capabilities despite a peace process they launched in early 2004.
