China hopes US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's visit will help increase mutual understanding and trust, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan in Beijing Tuesday.

Rumsfeld arrived in Beijing on Tuesday afternoon, kicking off his three-day official good-will visit to China at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart Cao Gangchuan.

This is Rumsfeld's first visit to China as Defense Secretary since taking up the post in January 2001, and the second visit by a US Defense Secretary since 2000.

Kong said Chinese state and military leaders will meet or hold talks with Rumsfeld during his stay.

Both sides will discuss the relations between the two countries as well as the two armed forces, and international and regional issues of common concern, Kong said.

Besides, Rumsfeld will hold a seminar in the Party School of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Academy of Military Sciences.

Kong said China will join efforts with the United States to ensure that Rumsfeld's visit will be successful, and push forward the stable development of the ties between the two armed forces.

Source: Xinhua