Stories of state gifts to Xi: Photo of 8 JF-17 Thunder fighter jets escorting Xi's plane shows ironclad China-Pakistan friendship

Chinese President Xi Jinping received a state gift from Pakistan - a photo of eight JF-17 Thunder fighter jets escorting him on his flight to the country. The escort was Pakistan's highest reception for Xi's state visit to the country in April 2015.

Pakistan presents a photo of JF-17 Thunder fighter jets escorting Chinese President Xi Jinping's plane to Xi as a state gift in April 2015. (Photo/Hu Yang)

The Thunder fighters are a shining example of cooperation between China and Pakistan. In the 1990s, Pakistan remained actively engaged with China, hoping to jointly develop an advanced fighter aircraft. In 2003, a jointly developed Thunder fighter jet flew for the first time. The excellent fighter jets have succeeded in protecting Pakistan’s national security, with the fighter jet project praised by the Pakistan Army as the most successful cooperation project between the two nations.

A Pakistan Air Force pilot involved in the escort mission who identified himself as Khan said that using the Thunder fighter jets for the escort was the best way for the air force to show respect to the Chinese leader.

Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers an important speech titled “Building a China-Pakistan Community of Shared Destiny to Pursue Closer Win-Win Cooperation" at the Pakistani parliament on April 21, 2015. (Photo/Yao Dawei)

During his visit to Pakistan, Xi and Pakistani leaders raised China-Pakistan relations to an all-weather strategic cooperative partnership. “All-weather” means that the two countries will always move ahead together, rain or shine. This bilateral relationship is rare in the world.

Xi said to then Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif that they had the responsibility to carry forward China-Pakistan friendship that had become a valuable asset of the two peoples.