The Chinese armed forces will make joint efforts with the South African armed forces to further push forward bilateral friendly cooperation, said a senior Chinese military officer on Tuesday.

 

Liang Guanglie, member of the Central Military Commission and Chief of the General Staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, made the remarks when meeting with visiting Chief of the New South African National Defense Force G. N. Ngwenya.

 

The two armed forces have kept high-level exchanges of visits and friendly cooperation in recent years, he said.

 

Liang also spoke highly of the bilateral relations, saying the two countries have shared a deepening political trust since the establishment of diplomatic ties eight years ago. The two sides have also made substantial progress in such fields as trade, technology, education and culture.

 

Ngwenya said the South African armed forces are also willing to continue to enhance cooperation with the Chinese side in various fields including personnel exchanges and exchanges of visits.

 

"To further strengthen the bilateral friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries and the two armed forces is in the interest of the two countries," he said.

 

At the invitation of Liang, Ngwenya is paying a six-day official goodwill visit to China from August 27.

 

(Xinhua News Agency August 29, 2006)