Maputo — Mozambique and China intend to deepen military cooperation, at a moment when the Mozambican government is looking for strategic support to fight Islamist terrorists who have been plaguing parts of the northern province of Cabo Delgado, following the withdrawal of the Southern African Development Community Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM), which should be concluded by 15 July.

According to the Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun, who was speaking, on Monday, in Beijing, during a meeting with his Mozambican counterpart, Cristóvão Chume, cited by the Chinese News Agency Xinhua, "deepening military cooperation with Mozambique is of strategic importance.'

"Deepening bilateral military co-operation is of strategic importance for achieving common development and maintaining regional stability', Dong Jun said.

According to the Chinese minister, China is willing to work with Mozambique to implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state, strengthen pragmatic co-operation in various fields and raise military relations to a new level.

For his part, Chume expressed the hope that both sides would continue to strengthen friendly exchanges and generate new successes in cooperation, taking into account the long-standing friendship between the two armies.

In 2016, China and Mozambique signed a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and Co-operation Agreement, aimed at strengthening contacts between the two countries' army, police and intelligence services. China also agreed to strengthen Mozambique's defense capacity, safeguarding the country's stability, as well as training military personnel.