Senior Chinese, American Military Leaders MeetFu Quanyou, chief of the general staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), said Friday that the PLA is willing to work with the US military to push forward the relations between the two sides in the new century.Fu, who is also a member of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks in a meeting with Henry Shelton, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff of the United States. Fu said that the military ties between the two countries have been restored and further developed this year with concerted efforts from both sides. He noted that he hopes Shelton's visit will be helpful in strengthening the mutual understanding, widening the consensus and pushing forward the military relations between China and the US. On the Taiwan issue, Fu said that the PLA resolutely supports the Chinese government's basic principle of "peaceful reunification, and one country and two systems". However, he added, China can never promise to give up the use of force on the Taiwan issue. The Chinese people love and cherish peace, he said, stressing that there is no room to compromise on the issues concerning China's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Fu noted that the Taiwan issue is an internal affair of China and also the most important and sensitive one in Sino-US relations. He pointed out that the US has sent "a wrong signal" to Taiwan by continuously selling advanced arms and equipment to Taiwan. The US arms sales to Taiwan have also produced negative impacts on cross-strait relations and the relaxation of the situation in the Taiwan straits, the Chinese military leader said. "We hope the US will abide by the three joint communiques and its own commitments, in order to avoid the harms and negative impact on the Sino-US relations brought by the Taiwan issue," Fu said. Shelton said that developing a sustained and constructive relationship between China and the US and their armed forces serves the interests of the people of the two countries, and also helps peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region. The US hopes to continue to develop a steady relationship with China in a bid to avoid miscalculation and to enhance mutual understanding. Shelton reiterated that the US will stick to the "one-China" policy. Prior to the meeting, Fu hosted a welcome ceremony for Shelton. Shelton arrived in Beijing Thursday for a five-day official visit to China at the invitation of Fu. |
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