Sunday, December 26 2004 15:26 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Beijing: Army Chief, General N C Vij arrived in Beijing today (Dec 26, 2004) for holding high-level talks with the Chinese political and defence leadership on ways to enhance mutual trust and cooperation between the militaries of the two Asian giants.

Vij, who arrived in the eastern metropolis, Shanghai on December 22, visited the PLA garrison in Shanghai. He also went to see Chinese military facilities in the eastern port city of Qingdao and the north-western city of Xian.

Tomorrow, he will hold talks with his Chinese counterpart, Gen Liang Guanglie, Chief of Staff of the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) in Beijing. He is expected to call on Chinese Defence Minister Gen Cao Gangchuan, who had visited India in March this year.

Vij will also call on Chinese Vice President Zeng Qinghong before winding up the week-long visit, the first by an Indian Army Chief to China in over a decade.

During the high-level talks in Beijing, the two sides are expected to review military-to-military ties, regional and international issues of common concern, official sources said.

China has already invited senior Indian Army officers to witness defence exercise Iron Fist-2004 held September in the Queshan Training Base of the Jinan Military Area Command of the PLA. This was the first time that the PLA had invited their Indian counterpart to witness a live military exercise.