ISLAMABAD: China on Friday unveiled the first Hangor-class submarine that it has developed for Pakistan, the Pakistani military said.

The Pakistani government had signed an agreement with Beijing for the acquisition of eight Hangor-class submarines during the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Pakistan.

The first of these submarines was launched at a ceremony held at Shuangliu Base in China’s Wuhan, which was attended by Pakistan’s Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf as the chief guest, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations, the Pakistani military’s media wing.

“Under the contract, four submarines will be built in China while the other four will be built at Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works Limited in Pakistan,” the ISPR said in a statement.

“These submarines will be equipped with advanced weapons and sensors to target long-range targets.”

The ISPR said the project would add a new dimension to Pakistan-China friendship. China has been one of Pakistan’s most trusted friends and both countries have worked on a number of joint projects in the field of defense in recent years.

Besides, Beijing is investing over $65 billion in energy and infrastructure projects in Pakistan as part of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a major segment of its Belt and Road Initiative designed to give China a shorter, more secure trading route to the Middle East and beyond, while also boosting Pakistan’s economy.

Since its initiation in 2013, CPEC has seen tens of billions of dollars funnelled into massive transport, energy and infrastructure projects. Beijing has also often provided financial assistance to bail out its often-struggling neighbor in times of a financial crunch.