China, US to hold joint humanitarian rescue drill

BEIJING - The armed forces of China and the United States will hold a joint drill on humanitarian rescue and disaster relief in late November in Chengdu of Southwest China's Sichuan province.

Spokesman of the Defense Ministry Yang Yujun told a monthly press briefing on Thursday that the two countries' defense departments and armed forces will hold a series of exchange activities before end of the year.

According to Yang, US Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus and a US military medicine delegation will visit China. A workshop of senior officers from the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and a navy delegation will also visit the United States.

The two countries will hold the 13th defense consultation between defense ministries.

A delegation of the US army military band will also visit China from Oct 27 to Nov 5. During the visit, the US band and the PLA band will stage joint performances in Beijing, Nanjing of East China's Jiangsu province and Shanghai, Yang said.

"The military relationship between China and the United States maintain a smooth development this year. We are ready to work with the United States to push forward a sound and stable development of bilateral military ties," he said.