Ma Xiaotian, deputy chief of general staff of the PLA, met all officials and military officers who are in China to attend the fourth workshop for senior officers from Latin American countries and the second workshop for senior defense affair officials from Caribbean and South Pacific countries in Beijing on the morning of June 26.

　　Ma Xiaotian said that the current workshops will help all participants to have a better understanding of the specific national conditions, people's livelihood and army building of China and further promote the development of friendly cooperative relations between the Chinese armed forces and the armed forces of Latin American, Caribbean and South Pacific countries.

　　Ma Xiaotian stressed that the Chinese armed forces has always attached great importance to developing the friendly cooperative relations with the armed forces of the above-mentioned countries and holds a positive attitude towards further developing the bilateral military relations with them, and is willing to further promote military exchanges and boost pragmatic cooperation with them.

　　Ma Xiaotian also briefed his guests on the Chinese army's participation in the earthquake rescue and relief operation in Sichuan Province, and reaffirmed the Chinese Government's principled stand on the Taiwan issue.

　　The two workshops were held simultaneously in the Defense Studies College of the National Defense University from June 14 to 29.

　　(June 27, PLA Daily)                                            Editor: Chen Jie