DUSHANBE, May 2, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- On the sidelines of his visit to Moscow on April 29 to attend the meeting of defense ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Tajik Defense Minister, Colonel-General Sherali Khairulloyev, also met with his Chinese counterpart, Mr. Liang Guanglie.

According to Faridoun Mahmdaliyev, a chief spokesman for the Ministry of Defense (MoD), during the meeting Khairulloyev and Liang discussed a wide range of issues relating to mutually beneficial cooperation. The sides commended the discussion of Tajik-Chinese cooperation areas in developing military collaboration in the fight against terrorism, the training of personnel, and technical aid to the Tajik army.

The meeting resulted in signing of an agreement, under which the Chinese Defense Ministry gives 10 million yuan, which equals some 1.5 million US dollars, in no-strings aid to the Tajik Defense Ministry, the spokesman said, noting that the grant will be used for improvement of technical level of the Tajik army and training of personnel.