Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan said in Beijing Tuesday that the Chinese military would work with the Finnish military to develop their good cooperative relations to a new level.  

During a meeting with Kari Rimpi, chief of General Staff of the National Defense Forces of Finland, Cao, also vice chairman of China's Central Military Commission and a state councilor, expressed satisfaction with the friendly exchanges and cooperation between the two armed forces, which have contributed to development of relations between the two countries.

Cao also expressed appreciation over Finland's stance of sticking to the one-China principle.

Rimpi described the friendly cooperation between the two armed forces as being "long-term, broad and profound," and voiced the hope that the Finnish military would keep it moving and maintain the strong momentum of high-level exchange of visits, and broaden the areas of cooperation.

(Xinhua News Agency June 8, 2005)