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Chinese navy ships to visit Japan in 2009

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-03-20 21:01

BEIJING - Chinese Navy ships are expected to visit Japan in 2009, according to a press communique released by the defense departments of China and Japan Friday.

The release followed talks between Chinese Defense Minister Liang Guanglie and visiting Japanese Defense Minister Hamada Yasukazu.

It also said Liang would visit Japan in 2009 to return Yasukazu's visit to China.

China and Japan were expected to hold defense and security consultations in Tokyo within the year, said the communique.

The two ministers agreed to exchange views on international peacekeeping operations, coping with natural disasters and cracking down on pirates, particularly with regard to information exchanges on operations in the Gulf of Aden off the Somali coast.