Teamwork aims at pirates, diseases in Africa

China will deepen security and defense cooperation with African countries to help them better tackle complex security issues ranging from piracy to epidemics, officials said on Tuesday.

Major General Hu Changming, director of the Office for International Military Cooperation under the Central Military Commission, made the remark at the opening of the first China-Africa Defense and Security Forum in Beijing. Representatives from 50 African countries and regional organizations attend the ongoing forum.

The history of Sino-African security cooperation dates to the mid-20th century, and the China-Africa security ties, which are win-win in nature, have become a major factor in maintaining regional peace and security, Hu said.