China, U.S. to conduct joint exercise

Xu Caihou (L), vice chairman of the People's Liberation Army Central Military Commission, and U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates

China and U.S. will conduct a joint air-sea search and rescue exercise during a naval exchange visit.

Xu Caihou, vice chairman of the People's Liberation Army Central Military Commission, and U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates reached the above agreement during their 75-minute meeting today in Washington.

The meeting, representing the highest-level visit by a Chinese military official since 2006, contributed to promoting Sino-U.S. military exchanges next year.


Xu Caihou (L), vice chairman of the People's Liberation Army Central Military Commission, and U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates

Robert Gates and Mullen, the U.S. Joint Chiefs Chairman, may visit China in 2010 at invitation, while PLA Chief of Staff Chen Bingde also plans to visit the U.S., said Qianlihua, director from Chinese Ministry of National Defense Foreign Affairs Office.

Qian said Xu and Gates mainly reached seven points of consensus on Sino-U.S. military cooperation and exchange during the meeting.

China and the U.S. will have more high-level mutual visits and exchanges on military culture, deepen cooperation on humanitarian aid and military medicine and broaden communication on land forces and military maritime security as well as between the young officers from the two countries.

By People's Daily Online