Overview

• Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said China is not worried about Pakistan “flirting” with the United States, calling the China–Pakistan partnership time-tested.
• In an interview with Mehdi Hasan, he described China as Pakistan’s most reliable partner and main arms source, noting aircraft and submarines supplied by Beijing.
• The interview cited SIPRI data indicating roughly 80% of Pakistan’s recent weapons imports came from China over the past four years.
• His remarks followed President Donald Trump’s Sept. 26 Oval Office meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Asim Munir, with Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio attending.
• Asif also addressed the new Saudi–Pakistan Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement, declining to say whether it includes a nuclear guarantee while noting it formalizes defense arrangements.