China and Sudan will increase military exchanges and cooperation, said a senior military officer in Beijing Tuesday.

Liang Guanglie, chief of general staff of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), made the remark during his talks with his Sudanese counterpart Abbas Arabi Abdalla.

Liang, also a member of China's Central Military Commission, said China and Sudan have witnessed steady development of friendly relations since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1959. The two nations have conducted fruitful cooperation in political, economic and cultural fields, he said.

Liang also expressed China's appreciation of Sudanese government's adherence to the one-China policy and its support to China on international issues such as human rights.

Abbas said the friendly relations between the two armed forces have a solid foundation and he hoped to further deepen the exchanges and cooperation between the two nations as well as the two armed forces.

(Xinhua News Agency July 20, 2005)