China to promote all-round cooperation with Myanmar, defense minister

China is willing to cooperate with Myanmar and continue to strengthen bilateral relations, Chinese Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan said Thursday.

He made the remark during his meeting with visiting First Secretary of Myanmar State Peace and Development Council and Chief of Air Defense Forces Soe Win.

Cao, also vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission and state councilor, said China and Myanmar are friendly neighbors and the people of the two countries have a deep, brotherly friendship for a long time.

Although both international circumstances and the two countries' domestic situations have undergone great changes, China-Myanmar relations, which are based on the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, still see further consolidation and development since China and Myanmar established diplomatic ties over half a century ago, he said.

Soe Win spoke highly of Myanmar-China relations and the relationship of the two armed forces, saying that Myanmar fully values such friendship and is willing to strengthen bilateral exchanges and cooperation in all fields.

Soe made an eight-day visit to China at the invitation of the General Staff of Chinese People's Liberation Army.