NATO wants to establish direct "military-to-military" relations with Chinese armed forces, the bloc's Military Committee Chairman Gen. Ray Henault told Xinhua on Wednesday.

Henault made the remarks at USS Roosevelt missile destroyer after a NATO naval force conducted an anti-terrorist demonstration in the Mediterranean Sea close to the southern Italian city of Taranto.

In an exclusive interview with Xinhua, the general said NATO wants to shake off the embassy-bombing shadow and is open to develop relations with China.

The general referred to the U.S.-led NATO bombing of the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade eight years ago, when three Chinese journalists were killed in the air strike.

"Just as NATO Secretary General (Jaap de Hoop Scheffer) put it, NATO is open to develop relations with China whenever there is opportunity," he said.

Henault recalled his visit to China and China's military bases in 2004, saying that apart from political relations between NATO and China, it is necessary to establish "military-to-military" relations between the two.

The NATO military committee, which consists of senior officers from NATO's 26 member countries, is responsible for reviewing the alliance's military policy. As chairman of the committee, Henault acts as chief adviser to NATO's secretary general.

Source: Xinhua