China, US hold wide-ranging defense talks

WASHINGTON - China and the United States have held wide-ranging talks on defense and security at the 13th annual China-US Defense Consultative Talks in the Pentagon.

The talks, held Wednesday, were jointly hosted by Qi Jianguo, deputy chief of the General Staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, and Jim Miller, US undersecretary of defense for policy. Officials from the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, US Pacific Command, National Security Council and State Department also participated.

The two sides had an in-depth exchange of views on issues such as bilateral military relations, maritime security, regional and international affairs, and, in particular, on how to implement the consensus reached by the two countries' heads of state to build a new military relationship.

Lauding the healthy development of their military relations, both sides agreed to actively conduct pragmatic cooperation, properly handle each other's concerns, resolve differences, and increase positive interactions in the Asia Pacific so as to jointly safeguard regional peace and stability.

During the talks, Qi reaffirmed China's positions on such issues as Taiwan, the Diaoyu Islands and the South China Sea.

He said the Chinese government takes an unwavering stand on issues concerning China's sovereign security, territorial integrity and maritime rights.

During his US trip, Qi had separate meetings with Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton Carter, Undersecretary of State Wendy Sherman, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff James Winnefeld, and Navy Secretary Ray Mabus, as well as former senior US government officials, including former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and former National Security Adviser Brent Scowcroft.