"The agreement is actually a framework, which marks the official establishment of bilateral regular military cooperation," he told Xinhua.

He said under the pact, both countries would carry out cooperative projects, but he didn't elaborate.

The main objective of his visit was to promote bilateral relations and enhance cooperation between the two defense ministries, he said.

He said Serbia attached great importance to bilateral military cooperation, under which it hoped to promote exchanges and strengthen cooperation. That includes medical cooperation between the two armies.

Sutanovac said besides national defense, the two armed forces could jointly cope with natural disasters.

He said he admired China's achievements through the reform and opening up in the past 30 years and emphasized that Serbia would continue to stick to the one-China policy.

This is Sutanovac's first official visit to China as defense minister.

During the trip, he met with Vice President Xi Jinping, Defense Minister Liang Guanglie, and Chief of the General Staff of the People's Liberation Army of China Chen Bingde.