????BEIJING, April 22 (ChinaMil) -- China is willing to strengthen mutual understanding and mutual trust with NATO through exchange and dialogue and seek gradual progress in military cooperation with NATO, said the Deputy Chief of general staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Lt. Gen. Yi Xiaoguang in Beijing on Wednesday.

????Yi Xiaoguang made the remarks when meeting with the visiting Director General of the NATO International Military Staff Air Marshal Sir Christopher Harper, in Beijing on April 22, 2015.

????China and NATO have witnessed the gradual elevation of military exchange activities in recent years, as evidenced by the mechanized dialogue on defense and security policies between the two sides as well as exchange and cooperation in the fields of personnel training and naval escort operations, Yi said.

????Yi hoped that the dialogues and communication between China and NATO will help enhance the mutual understanding and mutual trust, adding that China hopes to gradually increase cooperation with NATO in the military field and is will to work together with NATO to maintain the regional and world peace.

????Harper expressed that the relations between NATO and China is of great importance. He hopes that the both sides could enhance mutual trust and mutual understanding on the basis of openness and transparency, and carry out cooperation in the fields of common interests to both sides.

????During his China visit, Harper conducted the 4th round of defense and security policy dialogue between NATO and China with the Foreign Affairs Office of the Chinese Defense Ministry.