Nov 7, 2022: A stronger Sino-Pak axis- a Greater threat to Taiwan
November 7, 2022:
On September 28, U.S Secretary of State Antony Blinken, at a joint presser with India’s External Affairs Minister, defended Biden administration’s recent approval of a $450-million grant for updating the F-16 fleet of Pakistan. Blinken said that the aim of the $450-million grant is to bolster the counter-terrorism capabilities of Pakistan. Dr. S. Jaishankar, the Indian Foreign Minister, said that a more effective air-fleet of F16s cannot help the fight against terrorism.
UK has estimated that 30 retired British Air Force pilots are working in China to train the pilots of China. UK is considering passing a Law prohibiting such employment by non-friendly countries. Four retired pilots of New Zealand are also employed in China at salaries of the order of $270,000. Daniel Edmund Duggan, an Australian citizen and a former U.S. fighter pilot has been arrested for extradition to USA. He had started a company called Tasmania Top Gun for training pilots through retired pilots of Air Force. He closed the company and started a company in China for doing the same job for training Chinese pilots. A similar company in South Africa trains pilots of Helicopters and airplanes. It recruits retired Air Force or Marine pilots from all over the world and imparts training to the Chinese pilots in China. The French Air Force has also found that retired pilots from France are also being recruited by China for training its pilots.
Washington Examiner contributor Michael Rubin has pointed out that Pakistan and China had been holding joint air force war exercises for many years. These war games had stopped when President Trump was in the White House. After Biden took over, these exercises have been resumed.
It isn’t outside the realm of possibility that Pakistan will allow Chinese pilots to practice fighting air battles against F-16 aircraft jets to help the Chinese to adjust and update their tactics against the Taiwanese pilots. Pakistan will doubtless grant China full access to the F-16s in order that they can learn and perhaps even emulate U.S. technology, just as they have done before.
Biden’s claim that Pakistan is among the most dangerous nations in the world, after selling them F-16 just weeks ago, means that while Biden may in office, he is not necessarily in power.
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