In an interview with the PLA Daily before Vice Chairman of China's Central Military Commission Xu Caihou's trip to the United States, Qian Lihua, Director of the Foreign Affairs Office of China's Ministry of National Defense, discussed the oft-strained military ties between China and the United States as well as China's "core interests and concerns." Excerpts of the interview follow:

Military relations are an important aspect of the China-U.S. relationship. Since the two countries established diplomatic relations 30 years ago, their military ties have undergone dramatic twists and turns.

In recent years, the United States has substantively upgraded its military relations with Taiwan and provided it with sophisticated weapons. The 2000 National Defense Authorization Act passed by the U.S. Congress put restrictions on exchanges between Chinese and U.S. armed forces in 12 fields. Moreover, the United States has raised doubts over China's strategic intentions and the legitimacy of its military growth. U.S. warships and warplanes frequently carry out operations in China's exclusive economic zones. All these moves have adversely affected the two countries' military exchanges.

Relations between the Chinese and U.S. armed forces will not develop in a healthy and stable fashion unless both sides respect each other's core interests and concerns. It is impossible for China to make compromises on issues concerning the country's core interests such as sovereignty, territorial integrity and security.

Today, Chinese and U.S. military forces face important opportunities to improve their relations. Chinese President Hu Jintao and U.S. President Barack Obama reached a consensus on advancing the two countries' military-to-military ties during their meetings in London in April and in New York in September.

Chinese and U.S. defense authorities and armed forces have taken a series of steps to promote the recovery of China-U.S. military relations. For example, China's Ministry of National Defense held a defense consultation with the U.S. Department of Defense in Beijing. Chief of U.S. Naval Operations Gary Roughead and Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army George W. Casey, Jr. paid respective visits to China. The two countries' military forces also held dialogues on maritime military safety.

Despite these, difficulties remain in China-U.S. military relations, which have yet to be restored to normal levels. China appreciates the Obama administration's willingness to improve China-U.S. military relations and resume the two countries' military exchanges. But the key to whether this momentum can be maintained over a long term and in a stable manner lies in whether the U.S. side can really respect China's core interests and concerns and properly handle important issues in bilateral relations, including the Taiwan question.