By Yin Hang and Shao Longfei

BEIJING, Oct. 23 (ChinaMil) -- General Zhang Youxia, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) of China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA), met with General Sergei Shoigu and Aleksandar Vulin, defense ministers of Russia and Serbia in Beijing on October 21 and 22 respectively.

Gen. Shoigu and Minister Vulin were in Beijing to attend the 9th Beijing Xiangshan Forum. They expressed warm congratulations on the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China and wished the 9th Beijing Xiangshan Forum a complete success.

During the meeting with Gen. Shoigu, Gen. Zhang Youxia said that under the leadership and promotion of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era has reached an unprecedented height.

At present, the bilateral military relations is booming, and pragmatic cooperation in joint drills, military competitions, and military training has yielded fruitful results. The two armed forces must conscientiously implement the important consensus of the two heads of state, deepen the development of China-Russia military relations in the new era, and make positive contributions to safeguarding the sovereignty, security and the development interests of their respective countries, as well as regional and global peace and stability, said Zhang.

Gen. Shoigu said that since the establishment of Russia-China diplomatic relations 70 years ago, the development of the strategic cooperation between the two countries and the two armed forces has continued to deepen.

The two armed forces have carried out a series of fruitful and pragmatic cooperation since the beginning of this year, adding positive connotations to the comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era between Russia and China.

Russia is willing to work with China to continue to innovate the fields and modes of cooperation between the two militaries, and expand and deepen the strategic cooperation between the two militaries, he added.

During the meeting with Minister Vulin, Gen. Zhang said that China-Serbia relations have maintained a high level of development, their political mutual trust is solid and pragmatic cooperation is remarkable.

The development of bilateral military relations has attained great progress. There have been close high-level exchanges, and the exchanges and cooperation in professional fields are expanding.

Guided by the important consensus reached by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, China is willing to work with the Serbian side to continue to strengthen cooperation between the two militaries, safeguard common security interests, and contribute to deepening China-Serbia comprehensive strategic partnership, said Zhang.  

Minister Vulin said that Serbia is China’s sincere strategic partner and hardcore friend. He sincerely thanked China for its support for Serbia’s development and core interests. The Serbian side attaches great importance to the development of relations between the two militaries. Serbia is willing to continuously strengthen military cooperation with China and deepen strategic mutual trust and raise bilateral relations to a higher level.