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UPDATED: October 30, 2009 NO. 44 NOVEMBER 5, 2009
Improving Military Ties
China and the United States appear poised to strengthen their troubled military exchanges
By CHEN WEN
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AMERICAN HOSPITALITY: U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates welcomes Xu Caihou, Vice Chairman of China's Central Military Commission, at the Pentagon on October 27 (CFP) 

Vice Chairman of China's Central Military Commission Xu Caihou kicked off his 10-day-long official visit to the United States in a bid to enhance bilateral military ties on October 24, at the invitation of U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

Xu's visit marked the first face-to-face meeting between high-ranking military officials of both countries since President Barack Obama took office in January.

Aside from the talks with senior military officials and government leaders of the United States, Xu was also invited to visit important U.S. military installations, including the U.S. Pacific Command Headquarters and the U.S. Strategic Command, a rare opportunity for a Chinese military official, which is seen as a gesture to pledge closer military ties.

Despite a prosperous boom in the diplomatic, economic and cultural exchanges between the two countries, bilateral military ties have not developed as smoothly. Frictions and confrontations happen occasionally with both sides criticizing each other.

In October 2008, China cut military exchanges with the United States objecting to the latter's proposed $6.5-billion arms package sold to Taiwan, an action viewed by China as a violation to the Sino-U.S. Joint Communiqué signed in 1982.

The distrust between the Chinese and U.S. military is "actually deeply rooted," said Bonnie Glaser, a senior fellow with the Freeman Chair in China Studies of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) where she works on issues related to Chinese foreign and security policy. She said during an exclusive interview with Beijing Review that perhaps even though both sides have expanded many dialogues, mechanisms and messages of cooperation, the strategic mistrust still exists.

The Chinese have suspicions that the United States wants to prevent China from challenging U.S. interests around the world, Glaser said. Uncertainties abound on the U.S. side about the direction that China is heading with its growing power, she said.

"Because we have different political systems and different values, we have found ourselves in potential competition around the world," Glaser said, adding that this is the reason why both sides should seek reassurances for each other to ease suspicions while promoting cooperation.

She said that Xu's invitation by the U.S. military is an important part of the process toward a deeper understanding and strategic reassurance for each other.

On the first leg of his visit, Xu told a group of former military officers, policy advisers, experts and reporters in Washington, D.C. that "China's defense policy remains defensive," and that China's "limited" input into its military equipment and weapons is "not intended to threaten any other country, certainly not the United States."

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