A senior Chinese military officer said in Beijing Tuesday that China expected to improve relation with the U.S. military through high-level visits and communications in related fields.
Deputy head of the Foreign Affairs Office of China's Defense Ministry, Ding Jingong, said China held a positive attitude toward developing Sino-U.S. military relations as he commented on the visit of Timothy Keating, chief of the U.S. Pacific Command.
"High-level visits like this will boost understanding and mutual trust. The two exchanged opinions on a wide range of issues, which would help prepare for practical cooperation," Ding said.
According to Ding, Keating offered many plans for Sino-U.S. military communications. For example, he suggested exchange programs for young and middle-aged officers and senior non-commissioned officers between the two countries, called for mutual visits of navy ships, and hoped to arrange observation of multi-national and bilateral military drills.
"Keating's attitude on Taiwan issue is positive, and will help improve military cooperation between us," said Ding.
Despite the developments, the Taiwan issue still looms large in developing mutual ties, said Ding. Two legislations approved by the U.S. Congress, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal year 2000 and Delay Amendment, set barriers for military cooperation in 12 areas between China and the United States, said Ding.
"The lack of trust from the United States toward China will be harmful to Sino-U.S. relationship and actual communications," said Ding.
During his Monday visit, Keating met respectively with Central Military Commission (CMC) vice-chairman Guo Boxiong, deputy chief of the General Staff of the PLA Ma Xiaotian, and Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi.
Keating arrived here on Sunday for a four-day visit. The trip came as part of increasing high-level military exchanges between China and the United States.
Source:Xinhua
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