Chinese Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan held talks with his Canadian counterpart John McCallum in Beijing Tuesday.

Cao, also vice-chairman of China's Central Military Commission and a state councilor, said military relations between the two sides have seen multi-lateral exchanges and cooperation based on an overall development of bilateral ties in recent years. China attached much importance to developing friendly and cooperative relations with the Canadian armed forces.

The two military forces have realized high-level reciprocal visits, and enlarged such cooperative fields as logistics and education, Cao said, hoping the two sides could expand new areas of cooperation and promote the military relations to a new height, while maintaining high-level exchanges and strengthening strategic dialogues.

The Chinese side is willing to cooperate with the Canadian counterpart to further relations between the two military forces and the two nations, he added.

McCallum said Canada and China have had a friendship of long history. Canada hoped to strengthen friendly relations between the two armies and the two nations.
 
(Xinhua News Agency September 10, 2003)