The defense ministers of Serbia and China said in Belgrade on Monday that there are big prospects for expanding military cooperation between the two countries.

Serbian Defense Minister Dragan Sutanovac and his visiting Chinese counterpart General Liang Guanglie told a joint news conference that the two countries cherish their traditional friendship and that military cooperation will further strengthen bilateral ties.

Sutanovac said this is the first time in 25 years that a Chinese defense minister has made an official visit to Belgrade. The visit has strategic importance following the signing of an agreement of strategic partnership between the two countries during a state visit by Serbian President Boris Tadic to China in August.

Sutanovac called defense cooperation the best example of all the cooperation between the two countries, which covers cooperation in the areas of military medicine, military training, military economics, military science, as well as peacekeeping operations.

He reiterated Serbia's support for the one-China policy.

The two defense ministers also discussed global military challenges such as terrorism, organized crime and other criminal activities.

"We expressed our mutual desire to cooperate in combating these threats and exchanging information," said Sutanovac.

Liang said that he and Sutanovac discussed bilateral ties, military cooperation and international relations, and reached wide consensus on issues of mutual concern.

Liang arrived in Belgrade on Saturday for his four-day official visit.

(Xinhua News Agency September 8, 2009)