Chinese Defense Minister Meets Indian GuestsChinese Defense Minister Chi Haotian met Monday with Ay Tipnis, chief of the Air Staff of India, and his party.Chi, also vice chairman of the Central Military Commission and a state councilor, said that China and India are neighboring countries, and the leaders of the two states established a constructive cooperative partnership oriented towards the 21st century when Chinese President Jiang Zemin visited India in 1996. Chi noted that China is ready to work with India to realize the consensus reached by leaders of the two countries. Chi said that Sino-Indian military contacts have kept developing in recent years, adding that chiefs of the ground, navy and air staff of India have visited China. He believed that the ongoing visit by Tipnis would help further the Sino-Indian military relations. Tipnis said that the Sino-Indian good-neighborly relations conform to the fundamental interests of the two peoples, and benefit peace and stability of the Asian-Pacific region and the world. India is willing to further its relations with China and the Chinese army. |
| People's Daily Online --- http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/ |