US, China to hold joint drill

Beijing: The armed forces of China and the US will soon hold a joint drill on humanitarian rescue and disaster relief in southwest Sichuan province, an official said here on Thursday, as both the nations step up efforts to develop healthy defence ties.

"The military relationship between China and the US maintain a smooth development this year. We are ready to work with the United States to push forward a sound and stable development of bilateral military ties," Defence Ministry spokesman Yang Yujun said at a press briefing. The two countries` defence departments and armed forces will hold a series of exchange activities in late November, the official was quoted as saying by Xinhua. According to Yang, US Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus and a US military medicine delegation will visit China. A workshop of senior officers from the People`s Liberation Army (PLA) and a Navy delegation will also visit the United States. The two countries will hold the 13th defence consultation between the two defence ministries. A delegation of the US Army`s military band will also visit China from October 27 to November 05. During the visit, the US band and the PLA band will stage joint performances in Beijing, Nanjing of east China`s Jiangsu Province and Shanghai, Yang said. IANS