The recent fifth round of consultation on defense affairs between
China and the United States in Washington is believed to be an
important step towards the normalization of Sino-US military ties.
Sino-US military relationship is an important component of
bilateral ties. Observes say the two sides have come to realize
that the normalization of military ties is conducive to the stable
and healthy development of state-to-state relations. In this
regard, leaders of the two countries have made efforts for its
improvement.
The improvement of relations between the two countries has in turn
created a favorable atmosphere for the resumption and improvement
of military ties.
Chinese President Jiang Zemin and US President George W. Bush met
three times in one year, reaching some important consensus on the
resumption and development of Sino-US military exchanges.
The two sides have made efforts to carry out the consensus reached
by the two heads of state.
The USS Paul F Foster, a destroyer of the US Navy, began on Nov.24
a five-day visit to Qingdao, a seaport city in east China. It
marked the 10th visit to China by a US warship since 1986.
The Capstone Delegation of the People's Liberation Army National
Defense University left for the United States on Nov. 29.
On
Dec. 6, the second meeting of China-US Military Maritime-Air Safety
working group was held in Qingdao, within the framework of the
Military Maritime Consultation Agreement.
The annual consultations between the defense departments of the two
countries are held since Chinese President Jiang Zemin's visit to
the United States in October 1997. Consultations have been held in
Washington and Beijing respectively.
China has always held a positive attitude towards the development
of China-US military ties, said Xiong Guangkai, deputy chief of
general staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), adding
that China will continue to conduct military exchanges with the
US.
China is ready to work together with the United States to remove
all the disturbances and obstacles that stand in the way of the
development of military relations and to contribute to the
constructive relationship of cooperation between the two countries,
Xiong said.
Douglas Feith, US undersecretary of defense for policy, said the
armed forces of the United States support President Bush's decision
to develop a constructive and cooperative bilateral relationship
with China and resume military exchanges. He said the United States
hopes the exchanges can provide opportunities for mutual
understanding.
The US side is willing to keep the defense consultations with China
as an important channel for expanding consensus and narrowing
differences, in an effort to promote the development of bilateral
military ties, he said.
Several days after Xiong Guangkai and Douglas Feith held the fifth
round of Sino-China defense consultation, Thomas Fargo,
commander-in-chief of the Pacific Command of the United States
Armed Forces, came to China on Dec. 12. During his stay in Beijing,
he met with Liang Guanglie, chief of the general staff of the
Chinese PLA, Xiong Guangkai and Vice Foreign Minister Li
Zhaoxing.
Fargo also visited the cities of Chengdu, Nanjing, Shanghai and
Ningbo and the units of the PLA's air force, army reserve and
navy.
Observers say Sino-US relations have become one of the most
important bilateral relations in the world, due to China's
opening-up and changes in the international arena. Sino-US military
exchanges benefit both sides and the start of the new year sees
military ties getting warmer with the concerted efforts of the two
sides.
(People's Daily January 2, 2003)