China and Pakistan ended a 10-day joint military exercise that focused on anti-terror operations to share "each others experiences in planning and conduct of anti-terrorist operations" for mutual benefit and also to strengthen traditional bilateral bonds of friendship.

This second exercise between the two countries (codenamed Friendship 2006), the very first in Pakistan, took place in the troubled north-west frontier with a large presence of key Al Qaeda and Taliban fighters. Pakistan claims that it has 80000 troops deployed in the area to fight the terrorists. The first joint exercise, codenamed Friendship 2004, was held on the Chinese side of the Pakistan-China border in Xinjiang Province which has a concentration of Uighur separatists.

When Chinese President Hu Jintao visited Pakistan last month, the two countries reaffirmed their "all weather friendship" defined in a 55-year old bilateral treaty. The two nations, which have strong bilateral defense ties, also announced joint development of an airborne early warning system.