Xu Qiliang holds talks with Chilean counterpart

Xu Qiliang, member of the Central Military Commission (CMC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) and commander of the Air Force of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), held talks with Jorge Rojas Ávila, the visiting commander of the Chilean Air Force, on the afternoon of September 25, 2012 in the Air Force Headquarters.

Xu Qiliang said that Chile is the first South American country to establish diplomatic relations with the PRC. The relations between the two countries and the two militaries have been maintaining a good momentum of development in recent years. The relations between the two militaries, especially those between the two air forces, have been steadily moving forward. Leaders of the two air forces attach great importance to the relations between the two air forces as evidenced by frequent reciprocal visits, and have built up deep friendship.

Xu Qiliang hoped that the two sides could continue to expand new areas and new ways of exchanges and cooperation and further carry out exchanges and cooperation in such professional and technical fields as aviation equipment maintenance and exchanges among academies on that basis, so as to promote common progress and development.

Rojas said that the PLA Air Force has been developing rapidly in recent years as evidenced by remarkable achievements. The Chilean Air Force attaches great importance to the friendly relations between the two air forces and hopes to constantly promote the friendly and cooperative relations in various fields between the two air forces to a new high.

Before the talks, Xu Qiliang held a welcome ceremony for Rojas. Luis Schmidt, Chilean ambassador to China, participated in the above activities.