A rare video of Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir speaking to China’s State Councilor Wang Yi is going viral on social media, however, for all the wrong reasons.
General Asim Munir went to China on a four-day trip to enhance bilateral military relations. He met with top military leaders in China. On Friday, he met China’s State Councilor Wang Yi, and the two sides emphasised that a tight military collaboration between the two neighboring nations was vital to ensure regional calm.
Interestingly, the rare video of COAS Asim Munir conversing in English has gained alot of traction. Netizens did not appreciate the way COAS Asim Munir spoke in English and criticized Pakistan’s Army Chief for not being able to converse fluently.
They claimed if he was uncomfortable speaking in English then he should have conversed in Urdu and let the translator assist him. Speaking in a language where one is not fluent enough causes gaps in communication.
https://twitter.com/sufisal/status/1652048491114274834
Chief of Army staff Asim Munir speaks to Chinese officials in English!
“It gives me immense pleasure that after the COVID pandemic, I am the first Army Chief of a friendly country to visit China” COAS Asim Munir.
RIP English 😬 pic.twitter.com/UmLqXQqhK4
— uzii (@uziihashmi_) April 28, 2023
https://twitter.com/MTariqBilal_/status/1652015258263855104?s=20
https://twitter.com/soufiasiddiqi/status/1652182204712140802?s=20
On the other hand, some even came to COAS Asim Munir’s defense, claiming that fluency in English is no measure of leadership skills. They also pointed out that it is common practice for foreign government officials to speak in a slow manner so that the translator can have enough time to translate and bridge the communication gap.
Read more: Fawad Chaudhry welcomes COAS Asim Munir’s first NA speech
Liam Neeson speaks better English. So should we have him as our COAS?
If you had any doubt about Youthias being brain dead. No more. They are brain dead. https://t.co/FEvo1JGpBS— Murtaza Solangi (@murtazasolangi) April 28, 2023
Not sure what’s going on with this nation. The Army Chief is visiting China on an important state visit, and the political trolls are criticising the way he spoke English?
As someone who traveled with state delegations numerous times in the past, here’s a simple fact you need…
— Umar Saif (@umarsaif) April 29, 2023
Not sure what the issue being pointed out is? https://t.co/yqPNoj8oyD
— Abbas Nasir (@abbasnasir59) April 28, 2023
On Wednesday, the army chief met the commander of the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) at the PLA Headquarters and reiterated the need for maintaining peace and stability in the region.
On his arrival, the COAS was presented with the guard of honour and later he reviewed a smartly turned-out contingent. General Asim Munir discussed the “regional security situation” in his detailed meeting with the PLA commander.
Both officials also reiterated enhancing military-to-military cooperation, the ISPR said. Later, the army chief also witnessed a demonstration of the operational capabilities of the PLA troops.