Ties between Pakistan and China have continued to strengthen over the past 20 years, amid tensions with the United States and the West over supposed support between the Pakistani government and the Afghan Taliban. As a result, the Pakistani army went to Beijing to equip itself, especially since the two countries have conflicting relations with India.
After the JF-17 fighter, the 8 S20 submarines derived from type 039 ordered in 2015, or the Al Kahid MBTs all manufactured in China, it is the turn of the Pakistani Navy to order two new Type 054A frigates, for an order of 4 ships, completing the Pakistani fleet already equipped with 4 Chinese Type 053 frigates.
The Type 054A frigate is a light offshore frigate specialized in anti-submarine warfare, with a significant anti-aircraft self-defense capability. With these 4 units intended to replace the Type 21 buildings acquired from the British, the 4 Type 053s and the 4 Ada corvettes ordered from Turkey, Pakistan will have a significant fleet given its restricted maritime frontage of 1000 km. In addition, the country authorized China to build a new military naval base at Jiwani, allowing the large Chinese fleet to reinforce the Pakistani fleet, and to encircle the Indian fleet if necessary.