China, Russia vow to boost military ties

Admiral Sun Jianguo, deputy chief of the Joint Staff Department of China's Central Military Commission, met with Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov here Friday and the two sides pledged to step up military cooperation.
 
Sun, who met Antonov on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue, said that the two countries have seen a sound development trend in military cooperation, as the overall relations between the two sides are running well.
 
He said the two sides are both facing with a more complicated international security situation and closer mutual cooperation is in need.
 
Antonov praised the effective cooperation between the two defense ministries and expressed the willingness to join hands with China in the fight against security threats including terrorism.
 
Antonov also vowed to deepen the mutual military cooperation under the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
 
He said the Russian military is keen to launch more joint maritime drills and anti-terror exercises with the Chinese side.
 
The 15th Shangri-La Dialogue, an Asia-Pacific defense and security summit, runs here from Friday to Sunday.
 
Sun, on the sidelines of the dialogue, met on Friday with defense ministers, military chiefs and high-ranking defense officials from countries including Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore and Brunei.
 [Xinhua -china.org.cn-globaltimes.cn]
3/6/16