During early 2015, Pakistan became the first country to start negotiations on the import of the HQ-9 and HQ-16 with China.[41] In December 2018, it was reported in few media circles that Pakistan is now studying the feasibility of procuring three or four FD-2000 SAM systems to fulfill its long-range air defence requirements.[42][43] In July 2015, the PLA deployed the HQ-9 close to the Kashmir LOC in preparation for a potential territorial conflict with India. The air defense systems were sent to the Hetian airfield located in the south of the Xinjiang region which is only 260 km away from the Kashmir region. According to Kanwa Defense Review, a Chinese-language magazine based in Canada, radar vehicles of HQ-9 air defense missiles have been spotted at the base and assessed that they are intended to defend China's western border from any potential air strikes launched by the Indian Air Force.[44]