At the invitation of Robert Gates, U.S. Secretary of Defense, General Xu Caihou, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is paying pay an official visit to the U.S. from October 24 to November 3. Qian Lihua, director general of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Ministry of National Defense of the PRC, received an interview of the PLA Daily before Xu Caihou’s visit to the U.S.

　　Qian Lihua said that vice chairman Xu Caihou’s official and good-will visit to the U.S. would be the first one made by a leader of the CMC since President Obama took office and would be the most important event in the contact between the Chinese and U.S. militaries.

　　The aim of the visit of Vice Chairman Xu Caihou of the CMC and his party is to implement the important consensus reached by Chinese President Hu Jintao and the U.S. President Obama on improving and developing the military relations between the two countries and further push forward the development of the relations between the two militaries. During his visit, Xu Caihou will meet with U.S. military and government leaders and visit such military units as the U.S. Pacific Command, the U.S. Strategic Command, the Fort Benning Army Base, the Naval Base in San Diego, the Nellis Air Force Base and the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis.

　　Qian said that the Chinese side lays stress on this visit. Vice Chairman Xu Caihou will put forward specific suggestions of the Chinese side on advancing the Sino-American military relations and exchange views with U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates on strengthening the exchanges and co-operation between the two militaries . The Chinese side expects that this visit will effectively boost the development of the relations between the two militaries.

　　The year 2009 marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the U.S. The Sino-U.S. military relations went through twists and turns in the past 30 years. Qian Lihua gave his comments on the development of the Sino-U.S. military relationship in the past 30 years.

　　Qian Lihua told the PLA Daily that the China-U.S. military relations are an important part of the relations between the two countries. In the development of the relations between the two countries, the Sino-American military relations also underwent ups and downs in the past 30 years. Just take the U.S. acts in recent years for example, the U.S. side actually strengthened military ties with and sold advanced weapons to Taiwan, the Defense Authorization Act adopted by the U.S. Congress in 2000 restricted the exchanges between the Chinese and U.S. militaries in 12 fields, the U.S. side doubted and questioned the strategic intent of the Chinese side and the rationality of China’s development of military strength, and the U.S. warships and warplanes frequently appeared in China's exclusive economic zone, these acts constituted severe interferences in and brought negative influence on the contact between the two militaries.

　　The development course of the relations between the Chinese and U.S. militaries shows that the relations between the two militaries can enjoy sound and stable development only on the basis of paying mutual respect to the core interests and concern of both sides. China will never compromise on the issues involving such core interests as territorial sovereignty and national security. The Chinese side hopes that the Obama administration which advocates “reform” will bear the overall situation of the sound and stable development of the Sino-U.S. relations in mind and properly handle all the major issues concerning the relations between the two countries, including the Taiwan issue, said Qian.

　　The Chinese side attaches great importance to developing the relations between the Chinese and U.S. militaries and looks forward to working together with the U.S. side to enhance mutual understanding, increase consensus, establish mutual trust, expand cooperation and make contributions to boosting the friendship between the peoples and militaries of the two countries and maintaining world and regional peace, stability and development, said Qian.

　　Then Qina Lihua answered the questions on the development opportunity for Sino-U.S. military exchanges after Obama administration’s launch of new military security policy.

　　Qian Lihua told the PLA Daily that under the auspices of state heads and common efforts of the defense departments of the two countries, currently, the relations between the Chinese and U.S. militaries face important opportunities for improvement and development. In April and September this year, President Hu Jintao and President Obama met in London and New York respectively, reaching important consensus on working together to improve and develop the relations between the two militaries and clarifying the direction for the development of the relations between the two militaries. The defense departments and militaries of the two sides adopted a series of measures to gradually restore the relations between the two militaries. For example, the Chinese Ministry of National Defense and its U.S. counterpart held a defense consultation in Beijing, Admiral Gary Roughhead, chief of the U.S. Naval Operations, and General George Casey, chief of staff of the U.S. Army, visited China in succession, the militaries of the two sides also conducted candid dialogue on maritime security issues. People may notice that all the above visits were made by U.S. delegations to China, which indicates that some problems are persisting in the relations between the two militaries, which hasn't yet been restored to the normal level.

　　The Chinese side appreciates the U.S. defense and military leaders' awareness of the importance of maintaining and developing the relations between the Chinese and U.S. militaries after President Obama assumed the office and their expectations to re-initiate Sino-U.S. military exchange. But, whether such momentum can be maintained for a long period of time depends on whether the U.S. side can really respect China's core interests and concerns, properly handle a series of major issues in bilateral relations including the Taiwan issue to stabilize the political basis of development of the relations between the two militaries.

　　In this sense, opportunities and challenges always co-exist in the development of the relations between the Chinese and U.S. militaries. To grasp the opportunities, cope with the challenges and ensure sound and stable development of the relations between the two militaries is a test facing the leaders of the two countries and requires both sides to make active and unceasing efforts.