Fang Fenghui, member of the Central Military Commission (CMC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) and chief of general staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), met with Dennis Richardson, the visiting secretary-general of the Australian Department of Defense, on March 19, 2013 in Beijing. The two sides frankly exchanged views on current international and regional hot issues, enhanced understanding and expanded consensus.
Fang Fenghui said that since the establishment of the diplomatic relations between China and Australia more than 40 years ago, the bilateral relations have been developing smoothly, as evidenced by the fruitful cooperation results in various fields and the constant advancement of the relations between the two militaries. The Chinese side is willing to make joint efforts with the Australian side to further strengthen the exchanges between the two militaries, deepen the cooperation in the aspects including high-level mutual visits and consultations, joint military drills, personnel exchanges among military colleges and academies as well as communication and coordination on regional hot issues, enhance the level of pragmatic cooperation to allow the relations between the two militaries to adapt to the comprehensive cooperative partnership between the two countries, and jointly safeguard the peace and stability in the Asia Pacific regions.
Dennis Richardson said that this is his tenth visit to China. The rapid development of China's economy in the past 20 years has left him a deep impression. The relations between the two countries have been developing well in recent years. The Australian side welcomes the rise of China and the development of the Chinese military and is willing to work together with the Chinese side to continuously strengthen the pragmatic cooperation between the two militaries in the aspects including personnel training, humanitarian rescue and disaster reduction as well as joint drills so as to push the relations between the two countries and the two militaries to move forward constantly and steadily.