China is willing to work with Thailand to strengthen substantive cooperation in all fields and promote bilateral friendship, said Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan in Beijing on Thursday.

Cao made the remarks when meeting with visiting Permanent Secretary of Thai Ministry of Defense Winai Phattiyakul, who is here for the sixth Sino-Thai annual defense and security consultations.

Cao also spoke highly of bilateral relations between the two countries, saying the fruitful China-Thailand cooperation has brought substantive benefits to people of the two countries.

Winai said he hopes the armed forces of the two countries could strengthen exchanges and deepen cooperation in various fields.

He said promotion of close relationship between China and Thailand has become the common aspiration of the Thai government, people and armed forces.

(Xinhua News Agency September 20, 2007)