China, U.S. militaries will have dialogue, conduct exchange: Chinese National Defense Ministry offic

China, U.S. militaries will have dialogue, conduct exchange: Chinese National Defense Ministry official
An official with the Chinese Ministry of National Defense said Tuesday the Chinese and U.S. militaries would conduct dialogue and exchange at an unspecified time in the future, including an annual meeting on maritime military safety and consultations on defense.
Qian Lihua, director of the Foreign Affairs Office with the National Defense Ministry, made the remarks during talks with Michael Schiffer, deputy assistant secretary of defense for East Asia.
Qian expressed hope the two militaries will, in a spirit of respect, mutual trust, equality and mutual benefit, effectively communicate during the exchanges, to jointly promote the healthy and stable development of military relations.
Qin said China-U.S. military ties are an important part of the China-U.S. bilateral relationship, adding that they have the opportunity to develop but also face problems.
The problems need to be solved urgently, he said.
Safeguarding the stability of China-U.S. military relations should be a weighty responsibility to be shouldered by both sides, he said.
Qian also briefed the U.S. delegation on China's stance on issues concerning the South China Sea and joint military drills between the United States and the Republic of Korea.
Schiffer agreed U.S.-China military ties should be further promoted as a part of the positive, cooperative and comprehensive relationship between the two nations.
The U.S. military hopes to work with the Chinese side to establish a stable and reliable framework for bilateral relations, Schiffer said, adding that uninterrupted dialogue and exchange helps avoid misunderstandings.
Both Qian and Schiffer said that their talks were positive and significant, according to a statement released by the Chinese Ministry of National Defense.
Schiffer and his entourage arrived in Beijing Monday. During his stay in Beijing, Schiffer also met with other Chinese officials from the Foreign Ministry, the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, and the China Foundation for International Strategic Studies.
Source: Xinhua
China, U.S. militaries will have dialogue, conduct exchange: Chinese National Defense Ministry official