China, Russia to strengthen military ties

BEIJING - China has pledged to strengthen military ties with Russia during a visit by its defense minister Sergei Shoigu to Beijing.

Vice-Chairman of China's Central Military Commission Xu Qiliang and Defense Minister Liang Guanglie met with Shoigu respectively on Wednesday.

Xu said that the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination has maintained a positive, healthy and stable momentum, during a meeting with Shoigu.

He said the agreement reached during a meeting between President Vladimir Putin and President Hu Jintao in June outlined the development direction for bilateral relations.

Noting that the two countries' military relations have developed, he said China regarded the development of military relations with Russia as a priority.

"China is willing to work with Russia to positively implement the two leaders' important agreement and further promote pragmatic communication and cooperation so as to upgrade their military relations to a higher level," Xu said.

Shoigu said the two countries' relationship has reached an unprecedented level and the two sides have broad common interests and deep mutual trust.

He noted that the two sides' military relations have developed smoothly, witnessed by 2012 Russia-China joint naval exercise and Peace Mission 2012 Shanghai Cooperation Organization Joint Anti-Terrorism Military Exercise.

Liang said bilateral military relations, developing in a multi-level and wide-ranging pattern, have injected a new vitality into the development of the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination.

China is willing to push the China-Russia military relations to a higher level, Liang said.

Shoigu said the development of China-Russia relations has brought pragmatic interests to the people of both countries and has made a positive contribution to world peace and stability.

Russia hoped to make joint efforts and strengthen communication and coordination with China in order to push for in-depth development of the friendly cooperative relations between the two militaries.