China promises to widen ties with Russia

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BEIJING, Nov. 22 (UPI) -- China will work with Russia to further develop overall and military relations, President Hu Jintao said in his meeting with Russia's new defense minister.

"China would like to work with Russia to implement the next 10-year development program and key areas of cooperation and maintain the continued development of both overall and military relations," the Chinese leader told Sergei Shoigu, who took over as the Russian Defense Minister after Anatoly Serdyukov was fired earlier this month by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The official Xinhua News Agency reported Hu said China and Russia should boost their comprehensive and strategic relationship of coordination to a new high. He said the two sides have already made significant progress in cooperation covering trade and economy, energy, science and technology and supported each other on sovereignty, security, territorial integrity and other issues of core interest.

"China has always valued its ties with Russia. No matter how the international situation and domestic conditions of the two countries change, China will not alter its principles and guidelines on developing ties with Russia," Hu said.

Shoigu said Russia would like to strengthen the two militaries' mutual trust and deepen military cooperation, the report said.