13:46 GMT, September 25, 2009 BEIJING | As Xinhua reports, Senior military officials from China and Tanzania on Thursday pledged to deepen substantial cooperation between the two armed forces.

"China and Tanzania share a profound traditional friendship," said Guo Boxiong, vice chairman of China's Central Military Commission, in a meeting with Tanzanian Minister of Defense and National Service Hussein Ali Mwinyi.

The two countries enjoyed an all-weather friendship of friends and brothers. The friendship, carefully nurtured by several generations of leaders in both countries, has withstood the test of time and the changeable international situation and can be called a model for friendly relations between developing nations, Guo said.

In recent years, the pragmatic cooperation between the two countries in the areas of politics, economics and culture has yielded fruitful outcomes, he said, adding the two countries had broad consensus and close cooperation in the international and regional affairs.

Guo said the bilateral military ties were an important component of bilateral ties. The two armed forces maintained frequent mutual visits and effective cooperation, which promoted the development of bilateral ties.

The Chinese armed forces are ready to work with Tanzanian armed forces to deepen substantive cooperation and make efforts to lift the bilateral ties as well as military ties to a new high, Guo said.

Mwinyi said his country appreciates China's long-term assistance and support. He hoped the two sides would further increase communication and cooperation in a bid to jointly advance bilateral ties.