Chinese State Councilor and Minister of Public Security Meng Jianzhu held talks Tuesday with his Ukrainian counterpart and pledged to enhance cooperation on security issues between the two countries.

"China and Ukraine enjoy a solid political foundation, an integration of economic interests, active people-to-people exchanges and close cooperation on international issues, which has brought substantive benefits to the two nations and their people," Meng said during the one-hour meeting with Raisa Bogatyryova, Secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council. Invited by Meng, Bogatyryova is making an official visit to China.

In June, China and Ukraine inked a joint statement to upgrade their friendly and cooperative relations to a strategic partnership.

Hailing the current ties between China and Ukraine, Meng called on the two sides to take advantage of the 20th anniversary of diplomatic relations next year to step up the political mutual trust and deepen cooperation on security and other issues to further develop the bilateral relationship.

Bogatyryova said the current Ukraine-China relationship is in its "best-ever" phase.

Ukraine attaches great importance to its relations with China and is willing to seek stable mutual support on issues of core interests such as sovereignty and security, she added.

Xinhua News Agency December 6, 2011)