Senior Chinese commander Chen Bingde said Thursday that China and Kazakhstan will further enhance their military cooperation to ensure regional security.

Chen Bingde (R), chief of the General Staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, meets with Saken Zhasuzakov, first deputy defense minister and chief of the staff of Kazakhstan's Armed Forces, in Almaty, Kazakhstan, Sept. 9, 2010. Chen visited Almaty on Thursday to attend the opening ceremony of the "Peace Mission - 2010" anti-terrorism military exercise, which is launched under the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in south Kazakhstan from Sept. 9 to 25. [Wang Jianmin/Xinhua]

During a meeting with Saken Zhasuzakov, first deputy defense minister and chief of the staff of Kazakhstan's armed forces, Chen thanked the Kazaks for their efforts to prepare the upcoming "Peace Mission 2010" anti-terror drill.

Chen, chief of the General Staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), also thanked them for their support of the participating Chinese troops.

The Sept. 9-25 anti-terror drill, the seventh of its kind under the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, is an important move to implement the consensus reached by the heads of state of SCO countries, said Chen.

The exercise will significantly contribute to eliminating the Three Evil Forces of extremism, separatism and terrorism, promoting regional security and deepening SCO-wide cooperation, Chen said.