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January 10, 2011

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Gates flies in to improve ties

UNITED States Defense Secretary Robert Gates began his four-day China visit last night, providing an opportunity for military ties to be improved after frictions last year.

During the visit, Chinese President and Chairman of China's Central Military Commission Hu Jintao will meet Gates. His Chinese counterpart Liang Guanglie will hold talks with him.

Gates will also visit the command of the Second Artillery Force of the Chinese People's Liberation Army.

Gates' visit was postponed after the Pentagon's decision to sell a US$6.4 billion arms package to Taiwan last January. China also suspended a visit by Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Mike Mullen and a trip to Washington by Chief of General Staff of the People's Liberation Army Chen Bingde.

Pang Zhongying, a researcher on international relations at Renmin University, said Gates' visit will help improve and strengthen China-US military ties. "The relaunch of high-level contact between the Chinese and US militaries shows the new opportunity they are facing for the improvement of relations," he said.

However, some analysts caution that some core issues will not be resolved anytime soon.

The Chinese military has said issues such as the arms sales to Taiwan, frequent reconnaissance by US naval ships and aircraft in China's exclusive economic zones remain obstacles for further development of military ties.

"The resumption of China-US military exchanges does not mean these obstacles have been cleared up, but means China wants to solve the disputes effectively," said Luo Yuan, a research fellow with the PLA Academy of Military Science.

Describing the military ties as a vulnerable part of China-US relations, Luo said: "China-US relations would be adversely affected if military ties could not be improved."

Pang said the future development of military ties lies on what actions the US would take and how sincerely it responds to China's concerns.

In a press release, Gates said he believed dialogue with the Chinese defense force and national leaders "contributes, not only to greater understanding, but contributes to avoiding miscalculations and misunderstandings and miscommunications."

He added: "My own view is that a positive, constructive, comprehensive relationship between the US and China is not just in the mutual interest of the two countries, but in the interests of the region, and I would say the globe."


 

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