Central Military Commission Vice-chairman, General Guo Boxiong, called for more military exchanges between China and the United States on Friday, to further promote bilateral ties.

 

Guo was meeting with visiting Commander-in-Chief of the US Pacific Command, Admiral Timothy Keating, who arrived in Beijing on Thursday for his first China visit since taking office on March 26.

 

"The two sides should step up military-to-military exchanges... and properly handle conflicts and differences to ensure military ties correspond with the political and economic relations between the two countries," the general said.

 

Keating said he appreciated China arranging "interesting and challenging" programs for him during the visit, which will also take him to military bases in Nanjing in East China's Jiangsu Province.

 

"We have differences in issues, large and small," but exchanges will help increase mutual trust and eliminate misunderstanding, Keating said.

 

During the meeting, Guo also said he hoped the US would recognize the importance and sensitivity of the Taiwan question, and play a positive role in safeguarding peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits.

 

Before meeting with Guo, Keating also held talks with Zhang Qinsheng, deputy chief of the general staff of the People's Liberation Army.

 

Relations between the Chinese and US militaries turned sour in 2001 when a US spy plane collided with a Chinese fighter jet over the South China Sea. However, since the incident, military exchanges have become more frequent, including reciprocal high-level visits.

 

A delegation from the US National Defense University's Capstone Program, headed by retired general William Nyland, also came to Beijing on Thursday, meeting with the PLA's Deputy Chief of General Staff, Zhang Li.

 

And in late March, the Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Peter Pace, made his first visit to China since taking up the position in 2005.

 

Last July, Guo visited the US, while the former commander of US forces in the Pacific, Admiral William J Fallon, visited China twice in 2006.

 

A joint search-and-rescue exercise between the two armies last year was seen as a breakthrough for military exchanges.

 

(China Daily May 12, 2007)