Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Benny Gantz arrived in China Sunday, for defense talks with his Chinese counterpart.

The meeting with Chen Bingde comes just days before a summit between world powers and Iran to discuss its nuclear program. The world leaders involved, called the P5+1, include China. The Chinese government is one of Iran’s biggest oil customers.

Bingde, who visited Israel last August, personally invited Gantz to be his guest in the country. During the trip, Gantz planned to meet with other officials and visit the Jewish Museum in Shanghai.

On Monday, the pair reportedly promised to increase ties between armed forces.

"Military-to-military ties between the two nations have also grown along with the overall bilateral relationship," Chen told Gantz.

The P5+1 talks will commence in Tehran tomorrow. China’s attitude during the meeting is under scrutiny, as it has long hesitated to join Western sanctions against the Islamic republic.