Xiong Guangkai, deputy chief of the general staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, and Yury Baluyevsky, first deputy chief of general staff of Russia jointly presided over the consultations.

The two sides exchanged views on the regional and international security situation, major international issues, anti-terror question, cooperation between the two armed forces and other issues of common concern. The two sides reached broad consensus.

They expressed satisfaction with the existing friendly cooperation of the two armed forces and held that the potential for further cooperation should be fully explored.

The two sides agreed to translate the spirit of developing good-neighborly, friendly and mutually beneficial cooperation into concrete action, a principle reiterated by President Jiang Zemin and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin during their meeting in Beijing earlier this month.

They agreed to maintain high-level exchanges, enhance cooperation between the two militaries, to constantly raise the cooperation standards, deepen, strengthen and widen pragmatic cooperation and to further substantialize the bilateral strategic cooperative partnership.

The consultative mechanism between the two general staffs works well, they noted, and it plays a positive role in improving the mutual understanding and support and in strengthening the friendly cooperative ties.

The seventh round of consultations will be held in Moscow next year, in line with the consensus reached by both sides.

PLA chief of general staff meets with Baluyevsky

Liang Guanglie, chief of the General Staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), met Monday with Yury Baluyevsky.

Liang, also a member of the Central Military Commission, said the strategic cooperative partnership between China and Russia has been consolidated through joint efforts.

The meeting between Chinese President Jiang Zemin and Russian President Vladimir Putin this December in Beijing injected new vitality into bilateral ties, said Liang, adding that the two sides are in the process of implementing the China-Russia good-neighborly treaty of friendship and cooperation which expresses the principle that the two peoples should remain friends forever.

Liang said the PLA values its friendship with the Russian army and added that the two armies have strengthened mutual trust and friendship, undertaken comprehensive and broad cooperation and made fruitful achievements in recent years.

The consultations between the two general staffs are important and will enhance the quality of bilateral military exchanges and cooperation, said Liang, expressing his belief that bilateral military ties will maintain their strong momentum.

Baluyevsky said the joint statement issued by the two presidents this December expressed the principle that the two peoples should be friends forever and never become enemies, and the two general staffs have decided to implement in concrete terms the spirit of being "good neighbors, good friends and good partners" forever.

Russia adheres to the one-China policy and supports China's reunification, he said.

Baluyevsky said the task of combating terrorism is important and complex for Russia and China, and said he hoped to strengthen cooperation with China in this field.

(People's Daily December 17, 2002)