Visiting Colonel General Yury Baluyevsky, chief of general staff of the Russian armed forces, said in Beijing on Thursday that this year's Sino-Russian joint military exercise does not target any third country.

"The first joint military exercise is a new form of cooperation between the two militaries," said Baluyevsky, who is on his first trip abroad since he was appointed to his post last July.

The exercise, scheduled to take place this autumn, is aimed at "improving the training capabilities of the two militaries and boosting their cooperation," Baluyevsky told reporters after meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Liang Guanglie, Thursday afternoon.

Agreements have been reached on troop composition, arms, equipment and techniques involved in the training.

"Russian paratroopers, marines and other forces will take part in the exercise," Baluyevsky announced.

Russian and Chinese military leaders are also expected to attend.

The general will also meet with Chinese state and military leaders on Friday before he leaves Beijing for Sanya, a seaside resort in southern Hainan Province.

Plans for the exercise began with a memorandum of understanding signed by Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission Guo Boxiong and Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov last July. It was publicly announced in December 2004.

(Xinhua News Agency March 18, 2005)