Visiting Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf met in Beijing Wednesday with Chinese Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan.

Cao, also vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission and a state councilor, said that exchanges had increased between the two countries' armed forces along with the development of their relations of cooperation in various fields.

Cao said the people of China and Pakistan were good neighbors and good friends.

The signing of the China-Pakistan joint declaration on the direction of bilateral cooperation marked a new stage of development in the partnership of cooperation in the new century, Cao said.

Musharraf congratulated China on the success of its manned spaceflight last month. He said Pakistan would continue to promote Pakistan-China friendly relations, as well as exchanges and cooperation between the two countries' armed forces, and make joint efforts with China to promote regional peace, stability and development.

(Xinhua News Agency November 6, 2003)