KUALA LUMPUR — Defense Minister Chang Wanquan met with his Malaysian counterpart Hishammuddin Hussein on Nov 5, with both sides vowing to deepen bilateral defense cooperation.

During the meeting, the two sides exchanged in-depth views on issues of common concerns, including bilateral relations between China and Malaysia and the security situation in the region.

Chang said that China-Malaysia relations have sustained development at a high level for many years, with the two countries’ ties becoming closer and relations between the two armies developing very well in all areas.

He said the Chinese side has attached great importance to developing defense cooperation with Malaysia in its neighboring diplomacy.

He hoped that the two armies could practice the consensus reached between the two countries’ leaders, maintain high-level exchanges, boost pragmatic cooperation, strengthen multilateral coordination, accommodate each other’s concerns, keep enhancing strategic mutual trust and promote healthy and stable development of the two countries’ comprehensive strategic partnership.

China is willing to carry out in-depth cooperation in defense and security with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), said Chang, while vowing to join hands with the latter in dealing with various challenges, effectively managing and controlling the situation to ensure regional peace and stability.

For his part, Hishammuddin said that the current regional security situation is becoming more and more complex, which should draw high attention from the defense authorities from both Malaysia and China.

The two sides should continue to strengthen communication and coordination, carry out in-depth exchanges and cooperation in areas including high-level exchanges, personnel training, defense industry, anti-terrorism and cyber security, set up and make effective use of the direct telephone line between the defense authorities and armies of the two sides, in a bid to promote the further development of bilateral friendly relations and maintain regional security, peace and stability, the Malaysian minister said.

He said that the Malaysian side is closely monitoring the regional security situation.

Malaysia welcomed deepened defense cooperation between ASEAN and China, said Hishammuddin, while hoping that China will continue to support the development of ASEAN in the future.