Pakistan Naval Chief hailed the role of the Western Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS) in reinforcing maritime security cooperation among member states during a bi-annual event in China’s eastern port city of Qingdao on April 22.

Though not yet a formal member of the symposium, the 21 member states unanimously agreed to name Pakistan a WPNS observer at the symposium.

According to Admiral Muhammad Asif Sandila, Pakistan's Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), cooperative maritime security mechanism among navies can better solve cross-border maritime issues such as piracy, terrorism and drug smuggling.

“The symposium is basically to help enhance cooperation in fields such as search and rescue and anti-piracy. Pakistan is very pleased to be granted observer status and we hope to work with other countries,” Sandila told the Global Times.