Malaysia and China are to engage in joint military exercisesbeginning next year, nine years after having signed a memorandum ofunderstanding on defence cooperation, according to Bernama.
Malaysia 's Defence Minister Hishammuddin Tun Hussein, who is onhis maiden visit to Beijing , said the exercises will encompass thethree disciplines of land, sea and air.
He said theholding of the exercises is one of the matters agreed during his meetingwith China 's Defence Minister Gen Chang Wanquan on October 29 toforge a more comprehensive strategic cooperation between the twocountries.
In a statement sent to Bernama fromBeijing , Minister Hishammuddin said that both sides agreed to fostergreater cooperation in defence, particularly in holding joint exercises,exchange of military personnel, establishing cooperation in the defenceindustry and fighting terrorism and transnational crime.
During his visit from October 29-31, Hishammuddin met with several ofChina 's top leaders, including First Vice Chairman of the CentralMilitary Commission, Gen Fan Changlong.
He wastaken on a visit to the headquarters of the Southern Sea Fleet Commandin Zhanjiang and the Guangzhou Military Region, which is one of theseven military administrative regions in China .
He said that he had invited Gen Chang to visit the Royal Malaysian Navy(RMN) base in Teluk Sepanggar, Sabah, to jointly launch theestablishment of direct contact between Malaysia 's Naval RegionCommand 2 (Mawilla 2) and China 's Southern Sea Fleet Command.
Malaysia officially established defence cooperation with Chinain 2005 but it has hitherto been confined to exchange of visits andeducation.
Hishammuddin expressed his belief that this visitwill enable Malaysia-China defence ties to expand and encompass otherfields and consolidate interaction between the two countries.-VNA
Malaysia 's Defence Minister Hishammuddin Tun Hussein, who is onhis maiden visit to Beijing , said the exercises will encompass thethree disciplines of land, sea and air.
He said theholding of the exercises is one of the matters agreed during his meetingwith China 's Defence Minister Gen Chang Wanquan on October 29 toforge a more comprehensive strategic cooperation between the twocountries.
In a statement sent to Bernama fromBeijing , Minister Hishammuddin said that both sides agreed to fostergreater cooperation in defence, particularly in holding joint exercises,exchange of military personnel, establishing cooperation in the defenceindustry and fighting terrorism and transnational crime.
During his visit from October 29-31, Hishammuddin met with several ofChina 's top leaders, including First Vice Chairman of the CentralMilitary Commission, Gen Fan Changlong.
He wastaken on a visit to the headquarters of the Southern Sea Fleet Commandin Zhanjiang and the Guangzhou Military Region, which is one of theseven military administrative regions in China .
He said that he had invited Gen Chang to visit the Royal Malaysian Navy(RMN) base in Teluk Sepanggar, Sabah, to jointly launch theestablishment of direct contact between Malaysia 's Naval RegionCommand 2 (Mawilla 2) and China 's Southern Sea Fleet Command.
Malaysia officially established defence cooperation with Chinain 2005 but it has hitherto been confined to exchange of visits andeducation.
Hishammuddin expressed his belief that this visitwill enable Malaysia-China defence ties to expand and encompass otherfields and consolidate interaction between the two countries.-VNA
