Bureaus Exclusive

'Friendship Action-2010' successfully held in Kunming

By Liu Fang/Xiao Zhongren/ Huang Zhiling (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2010-11-14 20:45

The 9-day "Friendship Action-2010" Chinese-Romanian mountain troops common training ended on Saturday morning in Kunming, capital of Southwest China’s Yunnan Province.

Romanian Defence Minister Gabriel Oprea (first on the right) and General Li Shiming, Commander of Chengdu Military Region of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (second on the left) review the soldiers at the closing ceremony of "Friendship Action-2010" China-Romania Mountain Troops Common Training, accompanied by BG. Mihai Ciungu (third on the left) and Senior Colonel Qin Xiangyou (first on the left), heads of the Romanian and Chinese contingents respectively. [Photo/Zhu Xiaoyun]

Romanian Defense Minister Gabriel Oprea, who is on an official visit to China from Nov 11 to 15, and General Li Shiming, Commander of Chengdu Military Region of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army attended the closing ceremony and delivered speeches.

"The second common training between Chinese and Romanian land forces is an important move to further cooperation between the two militaries. It is significant for the deepening of the traditional friendship between the two militaries and the all-round, friendly cooperation between both countries," Li said at the ceremony. The commander described the common training as "successful" and "fruitful".

He said: "Chinese and Romanian officers and soldiers dined, lived and trained together during the common training. They helped and learned from each other, which deepened the exchange and cooperation between the two militaries in command, training and management. The common training not only strengthened the friendship between the Chinese and Romanian contingents participating in the common training, but also boosted the traditional friendship between the Chinese and Romanian militaries" he said.

Romanian Defense Minister Gabriel Oprea said: "Friendship Action -2010" has highlighted the importance of increasing cooperation between the Chinese and Romanian militaries, and showed that there is great potential of military-to-military cooperation between Romania and China."

He said: "I want to emphasize again that Romania has always put strategic importance on the friendly and cooperative relations with China. The common training has not only improved our cooperation on the tactical level, but also laid a solid foundation for bilateral cooperation to cope with global, non-traditional security threats. I believe that Romanian-Chinese military cooperation will further develop in an all-round way."

In September 2009, a 26-member Chinese contingent was assigned to Romania for the first China-Romania Mountain Troops Common Training code-named "Friendship Action-2009."