Air Force Gen. Ma Xiaotian meets with NATO guests

Ma Xiaotian, deputy chief of general staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA)， met with a visiting delegation led by Lt. Gen. Bernaman, director of the International Military Staff (IMS) under the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in Beijing on February 13, 2012.

Ma Xiaotian welcomed the delegation from the NATO military organization to visit China for the first time. He said that the Chinese military enjoys good relationship with the militaries of many member countries of the NATO. With the in-depth development of world multi-polarization and economic globalization, China has increased exchanges with the NATO. The two sides have initiated dialogue and consultation at political and diplomatic levels and conducted initial cooperation in areas such as naval escort.

Ma Xiaotian said that China has been adhering to an independent foreign policy of peace and pursuing a path of peaceful development. China advocates a new security concept of mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality and cooperation. China is committed to safeguarding the peace of the Asia-Pacific region and the world at large and opposed to abuse of sanction and armed intervention in international relations. Under the current complex international situation, the two sides should strengthen mutual understanding through dialogue and communication and accommodate each other's security concerns in a bid to jointly make efforts in safeguarding regional and world peace.

Bernaman said that the NATO attaches importance to developing defense and security relations with China. The NATO is willing to launch cooperation in fields of common interests.

During the delegation's visit to China, Bernaman conducted policy dialogue with Qian Lihua, director general of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Ministry of National Defense (MND) of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The two sides discussed the modernization construction of the Chinese military, the implementation situation of NATO's new strategy concept, the security situation in Asia-Pacific region and the Middle East, and the future cooperation between China and the NATO. Bernaman also visited the National Defense University (NDU) of the Chinese PLA for discussion and exchange.

Bernaman and his delegation will also visit the third division of the Beijing Garrison of the Chinese PLA.