Chinese Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan and his Burundian counterpart Germain Niyoyankana held talks in Beijing on Thursday afternoon, vowing to enhance bilateral military exchanges.

 

Cao voiced his appreciation of Burundian for its adherence to the one-China policy and support of China's reunification cause and other issues such as human rights.

 

China and Burundi have developed friendly relations and conduct cooperation in various fields since they forged diplomatic ties, and the two countries support each other in international issues, he said.

 

Cao noted that the Chinese armed forces attach great importance to the relations with the Burundian armed forces and are ready to further promote exchanges and cooperation between the two armed forces.

 

Niyoyankana said Burundi and China have supported each other and safeguard interests of each other in the international community although there is a long distance between the two countries.

 

He expressed his thanks to the Chinese government for the aid and help to Burundi's national construction in various aspects, such as infrastructure, medical care and personnel training.

 

Niyoyankana said the Burundi government supports the one-China policy and holds that Taiwan is an integral part of Chinese territories.

 

He said he hoped to strengthen military exchanges and cooperation with China in many fields, such as exchanges between the military academies of the two countries.

 

Xu Qiliang, deputy chief of General Staff of the People's Liberation Army, and Burundian Ambassador to China Alfred Nkurunziza were present at the talks.

 

(Xinhua News Agency May 19, 2006)