Expanded Sino-US exchanges to stabilize ties (2)

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Expanded Sino-US exchanges to stabilize ties (2)

By Chen Weihua and Pu Zhendong (China Daily) 08:13, August 21, 2013

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"I think it's fundamental to the efforts that are underway ... to develop relationships, avenues of opportunity for transparency, for understanding each other's intentions far better than we have in the past," he said.

Experts said that despite China's attempts to overcome its past sense of rivalry with the US, Washington remains reluctant to redefine bilateral ties as a "new type of military relationship".

Zhao Xiaozhuo, deputy director of the Center on China-America Defense Relations at the PLA's Academy of Military Science, said Washington has doubts about readjusting military ties with Beijing because it might complicate relations with its allies.

"We don't see many substantive breakthroughs in the announced agreements."

"Chang's visit is still mainly discussing principles with the Pentagon," Zhao said.

Jonathan Pollack, director of the John L. Thornton China Center at the Brookings Institution, said clarifying how the two militaries view these possibilities should be a central task during Chang's visit.

"If the two defense leaders do not advance this process, the opportunity to curtail the possibilities of strategic rivalry will be lost. Without mutual restraint, a new type of major-power relations will not truly develop," Pollack said.

During their talk, Chang and Hagel agreed to set up a communication mechanism between the strategic and policy planning departments of the two militaries.

They will use existing means such as consultative talks and a maritime agreement, to explore a notification mechanism for major military activities and to continue to discuss rules for military air and maritime activities.

"I welcome this discussion and notice that the transparency we had is important to reducing the miscalculation and avoiding unintended tensions and conflicts," Hagel said.