US, China agree to sort out areas of friction
Sunday, 12 December 2010
From Fazle Rashid
NEW YORK, Dec 11: Leaving all the differences that soured bilateral ties behind, the world's two mightiest nations - the US and China -- have agreed to a high level meeting to sort out areas of friction. US defence secretary Robert Gates is set to visit Beijing in January for the first time in three years to re-engage China in a move to calm tensions over North Korea. The Defence Secretary will explain to China that recent US actions on North Korea including sending an aircraft carrier to Yellow Sea and the military exercise, in conjunction with Japan and South Korea were not meant to be an intimidation to Beijing.
China extended an invitation to Gates in October but the announcement that he would make the trip was made on Thursday, amid growing tensions over North Korea. The US president Barack Obama had a telephonic conversation with President Hu Jintao in his latest bid to reach an understanding on North Korea. Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the US joint chiefs of staff, criticised Chinese handling of the North Korean issue.
China must lead and guide Pyongyang to a better future. There is too much at stake for this type of myopia, Admiral Mullen was quoted as saying. Pyonyang disclosed the existence of a hitherto secret nuclear facility and bombed a South Korean island. China did not react as it was reluctant to criticise directly. The US is more keen to improve military ties with China.
The US wants to forge and sustain military-to-military relationship with China. The US Defence Secretary, however, questioned the rationality of China's ever-expanding defence spending. "I do not understand the depth or reason of their (China's) military investment", he said.
The bid to improve ties is part of a broader effort to bolsters relationship ahead of President Hu Jintao visit to Washington in January.
Two sides resumed military dialogue in October following China's decision not to continue the talks after the US decision to arm Taiwan with new weaponry. There is still a deep distrust between the two countries, an analyst said.
China's top foreign policy official had a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il. They arrived at a consensus on the crisis in the peninsula.
NEW YORK, Dec 11: Leaving all the differences that soured bilateral ties behind, the world's two mightiest nations - the US and China -- have agreed to a high level meeting to sort out areas of friction. US defence secretary Robert Gates is set to visit Beijing in January for the first time in three years to re-engage China in a move to calm tensions over North Korea. The Defence Secretary will explain to China that recent US actions on North Korea including sending an aircraft carrier to Yellow Sea and the military exercise, in conjunction with Japan and South Korea were not meant to be an intimidation to Beijing.
China extended an invitation to Gates in October but the announcement that he would make the trip was made on Thursday, amid growing tensions over North Korea. The US president Barack Obama had a telephonic conversation with President Hu Jintao in his latest bid to reach an understanding on North Korea. Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the US joint chiefs of staff, criticised Chinese handling of the North Korean issue.
China must lead and guide Pyongyang to a better future. There is too much at stake for this type of myopia, Admiral Mullen was quoted as saying. Pyonyang disclosed the existence of a hitherto secret nuclear facility and bombed a South Korean island. China did not react as it was reluctant to criticise directly. The US is more keen to improve military ties with China.
The US wants to forge and sustain military-to-military relationship with China. The US Defence Secretary, however, questioned the rationality of China's ever-expanding defence spending. "I do not understand the depth or reason of their (China's) military investment", he said.
The bid to improve ties is part of a broader effort to bolsters relationship ahead of President Hu Jintao visit to Washington in January.
Two sides resumed military dialogue in October following China's decision not to continue the talks after the US decision to arm Taiwan with new weaponry. There is still a deep distrust between the two countries, an analyst said.
China's top foreign policy official had a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il. They arrived at a consensus on the crisis in the peninsula.