A two-day closed-door policy dialogue between the defense
ministries of China and the US began in Beijing on Monday, the
first of its kind.
It involved Zhang Bangdong, director of the Foreign Affairs
Office (FAO), and Richard Lawless, US deputy under secretary
responsible for the Asia Pacific region.
"It was a candid and pragmatic talk, with the US describing its
global military deployment and China its military modernization,"
said FAO spokesperson Tu Qiming at a media briefing on Monday
afternoon.
"We also exchanged views on the Taiwan issue and maritime
military security," said Tu, director responsible for American and
Oceanic affairs. "Both sides are opposed to Taiwan independence and
agreed to promote military ties through more pragmatic
exchanges."
This year will see the exchange of top military officials,
professional staff and military institutions and discussions on
installation of a hotline between the two ministries, Tu said.
When asked whether US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld will
visit this year, Tu said he had expressed an interest, but that the
exact date was still under discussion.
Tu denied that they had discussed the EU's possible lifting of
its 15-year arms embargo this year.
Prior to the meeting, Lawless said the US hoped for "real
progress" on a wide range of military issues. After the meeting, he
declined to be interviewed and no other US officials released any
further information.
This morning, Lawless is scheduled to meet Xiong Guangkai,
deputy chief of the People's Liberation Army general staff.
A senior Russian delegation is also having closed-door military
talks with China this week with the first-ever joint exercises
likely to be on the agenda.
"We will hold our first joint command staff exercises with the
Chinese army in August or September involving various forces to
practice issues involving fighting our common enemy - international
terrorism," Russian First Deputy Defense Minister Colonel General
Alexander Belousov said over the weekend.
(China Daily, Xinhua News Agency February 1,
2005)