Chinese defense minister meets Thailand's army chief

BEIJING - Chinese State Councilor and Minister of National Defense Li Shangfu met with Narongphan Jitkaewtae, commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Army, on Saturday in Beijing.

Li said China stands ready to work with Thailand to implement to the letter the important consensus reached by the leaders of both countries and to push for more fruits of cooperation between the two militaries, especially between the two armies.

Against the backdrop of the Asia-Pacific currently facing some security challenges, China is willing to jointly maintain regional stability with Thailand and ensure lasting security in the region, Li said.

Narongphan expressed appreciation and firm support for the Chinese side's important role in maintaining regional security and stability, and pledged joint efforts to continue advancing the relations between the two countries and militaries.