China handed over on Wednesday equipment worth five million yuan (some 625,000 U.S. dollars) as a military aid to Serbia-Montenegro.

In a ceremony at the Club of the Serbia-Montenegro Army in Belgrade, Chinese ambassador Li Guobang said that there are traditional friendship and close cooperation between China and Serbia-Montenegro, including exchange and cooperation between the two countries' defense ministries and armies.

Li said that he hoped the donation would help the Serbia- Montenegro army during its reform and transition period.

Zoran Stankovic, defense minister of Serbia-Montenegro, expressed his appreciation to China's donation and hoped for further development of bilateral friendly cooperation.

In a sign of gratitude, Stankovic handed over a plaque and certificate to Ambassador Li.

Under an agreement between the two ministries signed in March 2005, the Chinese Defense Ministry donated equipment worth five million yuan to its Serbia-Montenegro counterpart. The equipment consists of modern technical and electronic devices, including computers, laptops, digital cameras and camcorders.

Source: Xinhua