The recent fifth round of consultation on defense affairs between China and the United States in Washington is believed to be an important step towards the normalization of Sino-US military ties.

Sino-US military relationship is an important component of bilateral ties. Observes say the two sides have come to realize that the normalization of military ties is conducive to the stable and healthy development of state-to-state relations. In this regard, leaders of the two countries have made efforts for its improvement.

The improvement of relations between the two countries has in turn created a favorable atmosphere for the resumption and improvement of military ties.

Chinese President Jiang Zemin and US President George W. Bush met three times in one year, reaching some important consensus on the resumption and development of Sino-US military exchanges.

The two sides have made efforts to carry out the consensus reached by the two heads of state.

The USS Paul F Foster, a destroyer of the US Navy, began on Nov.24 a five-day visit to Qingdao, a seaport city in east China. It marked the 10th visit to China by a US warship since 1986.

The Capstone Delegation of the People's Liberation Army National Defense University left for the United States on Nov. 29.

On Dec. 6, the second meeting of China-US Military Maritime-Air Safety working group was held in Qingdao, within the framework of the Military Maritime Consultation Agreement.

The annual consultations between the defense departments of the two countries are held since Chinese President Jiang Zemin's visit to the United States in October 1997. Consultations have been held in Washington and Beijing respectively.

China has always held a positive attitude towards the development of China-US military ties, said Xiong Guangkai, deputy chief of general staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), adding that China will continue to conduct military exchanges with the US.

China is ready to work together with the United States to remove all the disturbances and obstacles that stand in the way of the development of military relations and to contribute to the constructive relationship of cooperation between the two countries, Xiong said.

Douglas Feith, US undersecretary of defense for policy, said the armed forces of the United States support President Bush's decision to develop a constructive and cooperative bilateral relationship with China and resume military exchanges. He said the United States hopes the exchanges can provide opportunities for mutual understanding.

The US side is willing to keep the defense consultations with China as an important channel for expanding consensus and narrowing differences, in an effort to promote the development of bilateral military ties, he said.

Several days after Xiong Guangkai and Douglas Feith held the fifth round of Sino-China defense consultation, Thomas Fargo, commander-in-chief of the Pacific Command of the United States Armed Forces, came to China on Dec. 12. During his stay in Beijing, he met with Liang Guanglie, chief of the general staff of the Chinese PLA, Xiong Guangkai and Vice Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing.

Fargo also visited the cities of Chengdu, Nanjing, Shanghai and Ningbo and the units of the PLA's air force, army reserve and navy.

Observers say Sino-US relations have become one of the most important bilateral relations in the world, due to China's opening-up and changes in the international arena. Sino-US military exchanges benefit both sides and the start of the new year sees military ties getting warmer with the concerted efforts of the two sides.

(People's Daily January 2, 2003)