US Secretary of Defense Bill Gates Visits China, Meets With President Hu Jintao

Chinese president meets Gates

www.chinaview.cn 2007-11-06 10:39:41 Print

BEIJING, Nov. 6 (Xinhua) --

Chinese President Hu Jintao met with visiting U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates Tuesday morning, two years after his meeting with former Secretary Donald Rumsfeld in October 2005.

Speaking highly of the Sino-U.S. relations, Hu said the two countries have had a stable development momentum of bilateral relations, featuring frequent exchanges in all levels, fruitful cooperation in various areas, and coordination and consultation on major international and regional issues.

"To keep a sound development of the Sino-U.S. relationship is in the fundamental interests of the two countries and two peoples, and will help maintain the peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region and the world as a whole," Hu said.

He said China will work with the United States and handle the general situation of the bilateral relations from a strategic and long-term prospective.

He called on the two countries to strengthen dialogues and expand cooperation in the spirit of mutual respect, equality, reciprocity and win-win cooperation, properly tackle the sensitive issues in the bilateral relations, and promote a sound, stable and deepening development of the Sino-U.S. constructive relationship of cooperation.

Hu also briefed Gates on China's stances over the Taiwan issue.

Gates, congratulating Hu on China's preparation for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, said the military-to-military relations between the two countries have made positive progress and are facing opportunities for further development.

He hopes the armed forces of the two countries can strengthen dialogues, enhance mutual trust and promote the development of military-to-military relations, Gates said.

He also reaffirmed that there's no change to the U.S. government's adherence to the one-China policy.

Gates is the highest ranking U.S. military official to visit China since Rumsfeld's visit. This is also Gates' first visit to China since he was appointed Secretary of Defense in December 2006.

Prior to Hu's meeting, Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan and Vice Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo also have had talks with Gates on Monday, in which the two sides exchanged views on broad issues including the Taiwan issue.

Gates reiterated the U.S. government's adherence to the one-China policy and the three U.S.-China joint communiqués during the talks.

China and the United States also agreed to open a direct telephone line between the defense ministries of the two countries, which is the first of its kind that China has ever established with another country at the defense ministry level.

As guest of Cao, Gates concluded his three-day official visit Tuesday afternoon and flied to the Republic of Korea.

China, U.S. agree on opening military hot line

www.chinaview.cn 2007-11-05 13:01:40

BEIJING, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) --

China and the United States agreed on Monday to open a direct telephone line between the defense ministries of the two countries.

Chinese Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan and visiting U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates made the announcement at a joint press briefing after holding talks in Beijing on Monday morning.

The Sino-U.S. military hot line is the first of its kind that China has established with another country at the defense ministry level.

Discussions on setting up the military hot line have been ongoing since Chinese President Hu Jintao and U.S. President George W. Bush agreed to advance bilateral military relations during their meeting in April 2006.

The creation of the military hot line will help enhance mutual trust between the militaries and promote the development of military-to-military relations between China and the United States, said Tao Wenzhao, a Chinese Academy of Social Sciences researcher.

Besides the hot line, the two ministers also agreed to continue to strengthen dialogue and exchange at various levels and cultural exchanges. These will include exchanges between military academies and young officers and holding exercises on humanitarian aid and disaster relief.

The defense ministries of the two countries will also launch military archives cooperation so as to help find U.S. military personnel missing in action in China before and after the Korean War.

"The military-to-military relations between China and the United States has grown in recent years. China is willing to join hands with the United States, properly handle disputes and friction, and make a sound and stable development of the military relations," Cao said during the talks.

Gates said the two armed forces have maintained an active momentum in the development of military relations and were facing an important opportunity to expand exchanges in various fields.

On bilateral relations, Cao said the Sino-U.S. relations are facing important opportunities for further development as well as some challenges. The two countries should make joint efforts to properly deal with the challenges, and promote a sound and stable development of bilateral relations.

Gates said the United States and China, as two countries with major influence, have done effective work on international and regional issues, and have made positive contributions to maintaining regional and world peace and stability.

The aim of the visit is to deepen dialogues and expand consensus between the two countries, and to boost common interest of the two countries, he said.

China, U.S. defense leaders hold talks

www.chinaview.cn 2007-11-05 11:12:38

BEIJING, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) --

Chinese Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan held talks with visiting U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates here Monday morning.

The talks were expected to cover such topics as the international and regional security situation, military-to-military relations and other issues of common concern.

The military leaders were also to discuss the establishment of a military hotline between the two countries.

This is Gates' first visit to China since he was appointed U.S. Secretary of Defense in December. He is the highest ranking U.S. military official to visit the country since former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld in October 2005.

Gates, who arrived in Beijing on Sunday night, is on a three-day official visit to China at the invitation of Cao. He will also meet with China's state leaders and senior diplomats.

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