PLA Daily 2006-09-12

　　On September11, Xu Caihou, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, who is visiting Australia, held talks with Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, chief of the Defense Force of Australia and Richard C. Smith, secretary of defense at the Department of Defense of Australia and the two sides had an in-depth exchange of views and reached broad agreement on the relations between the two countries and the two militaries, the international and regional situations as well as the issues of common concern.

　　Xu Caihou said that relations between the two militaries had developed smoothly in recent years, featuring constant deepening of exchanges and cooperation between the two sides. To strengthen the relations between the Chinese and Australian armed forces is not only in the interests of the peoples of the two countries, it is also conducive to the peace and the stability in the Asia-Pacific Region. Xu also briefed his hosts on China's sticking to a path of peaceful development and China's unswerving pursuit of a national defense policy that is defensive in nature, and reiterated China's principled stand on the Taiwan issue.

　　Angus Houston and Richard C. Smith extended their warm welcome to Xu Caihou and his delegation. They said that the Australian government and the military highly valued the friendly cooperative relations with the Chinese government and its military, and would like to carry out bilateral military exchanges and cooperation in wider-ranging areas with the Chinese military. They emphasized that Australia would firmly adhere to the one-China policy.

　　By Mi Ligong

　　(Sept 12, PLA Daily)