Top US General Begins China Visit to Ease TensionThe United States' top general arrived in Beijing on Thursday for talks aimed at reducing regional tensions, the first visit to China by Washington's highest-ranking military officer since 1997.General Henry Shelton, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will meet top Chinese military and government leaders, including his People's Liberation Army (PLA) counterpart General Fu Quanyou, the US embassy said in a statement. Shelton would also watch PLA combined live fire exercises near the eastern city of Nanjing during his three-day visit, it said. "The purpose of these activities is to reduce regional tensions by promoting dialogue and transparency," the statement said. The visit is the latest effort to boost military ties that were frozen for nearly a year after the 1999 bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade by US warplanes. In further proof of the improving military relationship, a top Chinese general held talks with US Defense Secretary William Cohen on Taiwan and other issues in Washington on Tuesday. General Yu Yongbo, a member of China's Central Military Commission, had "a very good meeting" with Cohen on Asia-Pacific issues. While the two powers are working to improve ties and reduce the chances of a confrontation, they remain at odds over issues ranging from human rights in China to US arms sales to Taiwan. But they underlined their dramatically improved relationship on Wednesday by announcing they had set aside land for new embassies in Washington and Beijing. |
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