In response to a question, spokesman Liu Jianchao said the two sides exchanged views and reached consensus on regional and international security, major international issues, counter-terrorism, relations between the two countries' armed forces and other issues of common interest.

Liu said Xiong Guangkai, deputy chief of General Staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), and Yury Baluyevsky, first deputy chief of General Staff of Russian Army, jointly presided over the consultations from Dec. 16 to 17.

Chi Haotian, Chinese Defense Minister, state councilor and vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission of the People's Republic of China, and Liang Guanglie, chief of General Staff of the PLA and a member of the Central Military Commission, met with Baluyevsky on separate occasions, Liu said.

Liu said the two sides agreed that as an important part of the two countries' strategic cooperative partnership, the consultation mechanism between the two general staffs is working well. It plays a positive role in improving the mutual understanding and enhancing mutual support on important international and regional issues, and in strengthening friendly cooperation between the two countries' armed forces as well as the two countries' strategic cooperative partnership, he said.

Liu said the two sides agreed to hold the seventh round of consultations in Moscow next year.

(Xinhua News Agency December 20, 2002)