23 May 2012

News Story: Israeli Military Chief Visits China to Strengthen Ties


By Barbara Opall-Rome

TEL AVIV — Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) chief of staff, began a weeklong working visit to China on May 21 as a guest of his People’s Liberation Army (PLA) counterpart, Gen. Chen Bingde.

The visit, the first by an IDF chief of staff since 1996, aims to strengthen Sino-Israeli ties in light of Beijing’s growing interests in the Mediterranean and Arabian Gulf regions. The agenda will include discussions on the strategic changes influencing regional security, the Iranian nuclear issue and potential areas for bilateral military cooperation, along with a live-fire drill in Nanjing, according to an IDF spokesman.

Read the full story at DefenseNews