Chinese Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan met with Wolfgang Schneiderhan, General Inspector of the German Armed Forces, and Georgios Antonakopoulos, Chief of the Hellenic National Defense General Staff Department, in Beijing separately on Monday.

During the meeting with Schneiderhan, Cao, also vice-chairman of the Chinese Central Military Commission and a state councilor, said China attaches great importance to Germany's role in European and international affairs. He said China is willing to further enhance cooperation with Germany in all fields.

Cao expressed appreciation of Germany's support for the "one-China" policy. He said China and Germany have broad prospects for the development of military relations and great potential for cooperation.

Schneiderhan said Germany has had friendly ties with China in the past years, and Germany hopes to maintain and develop the ties. He expressed the belief that the cooperation between the two countries will offer new opportunities for the further development of relations.

During the meeting with Antonakopoulos, Cao said the ties between China and Greece have developed well since the establishment of Sino-Greek diplomatic relations. The two nations share identical or similar views on many international issues, and have carried out wide cooperation in the fields of politics, economics, culture and military affairs.

Cao also expressed appreciation of Greece's support for the "one-China" policy.

Antonakopoulos said Greece and China support each other on many international issues and Greece expected China would dispatch military delegations to visit Greece to establish effective mechanisms for military exchanges.
 
(Xinhua News Agency October 14, 2003)