Chinese defense minister meets US under secretary of defense

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, February 11, 2004

Chinese defense minister meets US under secretary of defense

Chinese Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan reiterated the stance on the Taiwan issue during his meeting with US under secretary of defense for policy Douglas Jay Feith Tuesday in Beijing, saying "Chinese people themselves are more eager than anyother to realize the peaceful reunification of China."

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Chinese Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan reiterated China's stance on the Taiwan issue Tuesday in Beijing, saying "Chinese people themselves are more eager than any other to realize the peaceful reunification of China."

Cao, also vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission and a State Councilor, made the remarks during his meeting with Douglas Jay Feith, US under secretary of defense for policy. Feith is here for the sixth round of consultations on defense at the vice defense ministerial level.

Cao said that during this positive and constructive consultation, the two sides exchanged views on issues of common concern, which promotes the mutual understanding and trust between the two sides.

He pointed out that to hold such defense consultations is important consensus reached by heads of state of China and the United States.

"It is a major sign of the normalization of military exchanges between China and the United States, as well as its important content," he added.

Facts proved that the defense consultations are an effective mechanism to enhance mutual understanding and trust and to promote bilateral military relations, he said, hoping that this mechanism will be continued and further contribute to the future development of bilateral relations.

Cao also emphasized that China always held active attitudes toward development of bilateral military relations, and would like to make joint efforts with the US side to push forward its healthy and stable development.

"This will inject positive elements to the constructive and cooperative Sino-US relations," he stressed.

Feith agreed with Cao's evaluation of Sino-US relations and the defense consultation mechanism.

He said: "After our serious discussion on key issues including the Korean nuclear issue, the Taiwan issue and Military Maritime Consultative Agreement, we believed that the two sides share common interests on many important international issues."

On the Taiwan issue, he stressed that to safeguard the peace of the Taiwan Straits is in the interests of the two sides.

Feith reiterated that the United States adheres to the one-China policy and opposes any unilateral actions to change the status quo of Taiwan.

Feith's visit comes on the heels of trips to China last month by Deputy US Secretary of State Richard Armitage and US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Richard Myers.

Myers's visit marked the highest level military exchange since the mid-air collision of a US EP-3 scout plane with a Chinese fighter over the South China Sea in 2001.

The annual consultations between the defence departments of the two countries began in 1997, after then- Chinese President Jiang Zemin and former US President Bill Clinton reached agreement on the consultations during Jiang's visit to the United States. The fifth round was held in December 2002 in Washington, and previous talks were held in Washington and Beijing.

Observers see the flurry of diplomatic activities including military exchanges between the two countries as positive steps for both sides to strengthen mutual understanding on sensitive topics, such as Taiwan question and the Korean crisis.

Taiwan leader Chen Shui-bian has proposed referendums on March 20, which Beijing sees as a dangerous move by Taiwan authorities towards independence.

Chen Yunlin, minister of Taiwan Affairs Office of State Council visited Washington last week.

Myers visited Beijing in January and said the United States and China understood each other on the Taiwan question.

Fu Ying, director of Asian Affairs Department visited Washington last month to prepare for the second round of six-party talks of nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula, which is scheduled to beheld in Beijing on February 25.

Military leaders to set forth position on Taiwan in talks with US: FM

During the ongoing sixth China-US defense consultations, the two sides will exchange views in depth on their military relations and Chinese military leaders will expound on China's stance on the Taiwan issue, said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue Tuesday.

Zhang said at a regular press conference that the two-day sixth round of consultations on defense at the vice-defense ministerial level between China and the United States started here Tuesday morning.

She said the Chinese side is headed by Xiong Guangkai, deputy chief of general staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, and the US side by Douglas Jay Feith, undersecretary of defense for policy.

Chinese Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan, who is also vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission and a state councilor, and Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, will meet separately with Feith, the spokeswoman added.

By People's Daily Online

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