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09:05, July 10, 2007 |
Australian Defense Minister Brendan Nelson yesterday brushed aside concerns about China's growing military strength and expressed the wish to cooperate with the People's Liberation Army.
"We think it perfectly appropriate for a country like China to increase its military capabilities" commensurate with the country's economic growth, he said while meeting Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan.
Nelson - in Beijing on his first visit to China since he assumed the post in January last year - also said the Australian military would like to work more closely with China on fighting terrorism, peacekeeping and disaster relief.
His visit came just days after Australia issued its first defense policy update since 2005 that said "the pace and scope of (China's) military modernization... could create misunderstandings and instability in the region". It also said China was a pivotal player in several tense issues in the region.
Neither Cao nor Nelson directly discussed the defense policy paper during their 90-minute talks.
Instead, both hailed the good momentum of China-Australia military ties.
In a speech at Beijing's National Defense University later in the day, Nelson said there was an increase in information about China's military though many countries are calling for Beijing to show greater transparency about its military aims.
"Australia particularly welcomes the growing level of detail in Chinese defense white papers as an example of the sort of openness that should serve to prevent misunderstandings and instability in the region as Chinese capabilities develop," Nelson said.
Nelson said his country sees China as a "reliable partner" and is not seeking to contain China.
As to Australia's recent strengthening of security ties with Japan and collaboration with the United States on anti-missile technology, he said it was not an effort to "contain China's rise".
Shen Shishun, an expert on Asia-Pacific studies at the China Institute of International Studies, said Australia, like the US and Japan, tries to engage China despite its concerns over the country's military development.
"The worries from outside are understandable but are unnecessary as China's national defense policy is defensive in nature," he said.
Cao, also vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission, said China-Australia military ties had progressed well, citing frequent high-level visits, established consultation mechanism and substantive exchanges in various fields.
To underline the progress, it was agreed during the meeting that a Chinese navy fleet will visit Australia in September and conduct a joint maritime exercise with the navies of Australia and New Zealand.
Nelson said he was confident the Chinese warship visit and the joint military exercise will "help boost mutual trust and increase friendship".
Cao lauded the drill - China's first multilateral maritime drill - as "a step to show the expansion of our substantive military cooperation".
China has conducted bilateral search-and-rescue drills with countries such as Britain, France, Pakistan, India, Australia, Thailand and the United States since 2003.
Speaking to PLA officers at the university, Nelson stressed the hope for greater security cooperation with China.
"Australia and China share a vital interest in a stable global environment and regional order..." he said.
Source: China Daily/Agencies
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