India's Defense Minister Pranab Mukherjee arrived in China
yesterday, seeking to expand military cooperation between Beijing
and New Deli.
Mukherjee is due to meet his Chinese counterpart Cao Gangchuan
and Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing today and will call on Premier Wen
Jiabao tomorrow.
"My efforts will be to have a much larger participation in joint
military exercises, more exchange visits by armed forces personnel
and an expanded mutual training program," Mukherjee was quoted as
saying by Indian media ahead of the trip.
According to an Indian Defense Ministry spokesman, the visit
will be an important milestone and a major confidence building
measure in the progressive relations between India and China.
He said the two countries are expected to conclude a memorandum
of understanding to institutionalise training and exercise
exchanges between the armed forces, defense officials and military
experts.
Observers said such a deal could become an instrument for a
regular and sustained dialogue between the two countries on defense
issues.
Senior officials from the ministries of defense and external
affairs and the defense research and development organization will
accompany Mukherjee.
During his five-day China visit, he will also visit military
bases in Beijing, Shanghai and Lanzhou, capital of Northwest
China's Gansu Province.
Mukherjee kicked off his three-nation tour in Tokyo last
Wednesday. He will fly to Singapore on Friday.
(China Daily May 29, 2006)
