China, US to step up exchanges between military academies

China and the United States agreed on Tuesday to boost exchanges between military academies.

"China-US military relations, an important part of overall relations, have seen an increase in exchanges," Liang Guanglie, chief of the General Staff of the People's Liberation Army, told visiting president of the U.S. National Defense University, Michael Dunn.

Liang said Chinese President Hu Jintao's upcoming visit to the United States would exert a great impact on bilateral constructive and cooperative relations.

He hoped the national defense universities of the two countries would step up exchanges and cooperation, contributing more to the sound development of China-US military ties.

Liang also briefed Dunn on China's military building and expounded China's stance on the Taiwan issue.

"Militaries will play a very important role in improving the relations between the United States and China," Dunn said, calling for the increased exchanges between military academies.

Source: Xinhuae Eastern country will spend some 624 billion U.S. dollars on various projects in the next 15 years.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Crown Prince called on Singapore President S. R. Nathan at the President's official residence and met with Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew. He held talks with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Monday.

The Crown Prince, who is also Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General of Saudi Arabia, arrived in Singapore Monday for a five-day official visit, the first one to the city state since he became Crown Prince last August.

The two countries signed an investment guarantee agreement, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Trade Cooperation, as well as an MOU on annual bilateral talks and consultations in the political field on Monday.

Saudi Arabia is Singapore's largest trading partner in the Middle East with bilateral trade growing by over 50 percent to reach 10 billion U.S. dollars in 2005. It is also Singapore's largest foreign investor from the Middle East.

Source: Xinhua