The general secretary of the Nigerien Defense Ministry, Gen. Sani Issa Kache, and the chief of the ministry's foreign relations department, Hamadou Djibo Barte, also attended the talks, the Nigerien news agency reported.
China and Niger have been closely cooperating in the defense sector, including in the field of personnel training and procurement and delivery of military equipment, according to the report.
A coup took place in Niger on July 26. Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum was ousted and detained by his own guard, led by Gen. Abdourahmane Tchiani. Following the coup, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) suspended all cooperation with Niger and threatened an invasion if the rebels do not reinstate Bazoum.
In early August, during a summit in the Nigerian capital of Abuja, ECOWAS leaders agreed to activate a standby force to potentially compel the Nigerien military to reinstate the ousted president. On August 18, ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs Abdel-Fatau Musah said the bloc's chiefs of staff had agreed on a date for an invasion of Niger, but would not make it public.