05 January 2011
Defense Secretary Headed to China, Japan, South Korea for Talks
Washington — An upcoming visit by Defense Secretary Robert Gates to Beijing emphasizes the importance that the United States places on building a sustained and reliable military-to-military relationship with China, Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell says.
Gates will visit Beijing for security talks January 9–12, and then travel to Tokyo to meet with senior Japanese officials January 13–14, Morrell told reporters recently. Gates will also make a brief stop in Seoul for talks with South Korean leaders.
The defense talks also underscore the U.S. commitment to improved Northeast Asian regional security in the aftermath of recent provocations by North Korea.
In October 2010, Gates met with China’s national defense minister, General Liang Guanglie, in Hanoi, Vietnam, on the sidelines of the first Association of Southeast Asian Nations Defense Ministers’ Meeting Plus. During brief talks with Liang, Gates accepted an invitation to visit China.
Morrell said the visit to Beijing is being viewed “as an essential part of a U.S.-China relationship that is positive in tone, cooperative in nature and comprehensive in scope.” In addition to meetings with Liang in Beijing, Gates will also confer with other members of China’s defense and political leadership, Morrell said.
“We look to use this trip to confirm recent progress in advancing the defense component of the U.S.-China relationship, expand upon those areas where we can cooperate, and sustain a dialogue aimed at improving our mutual understanding and reducing the risk of miscalculation,” Morrell told reporters at the Pentagon on December 22.
U.S. and Chinese defense officials recently discussed how to develop more durable military-to-military relations. The nations have resumed low-level military discussions at a more technical level, Morrell said.
Under Secretary of Defense Michèle Flournoy met with Chinese General Ma Xiaotian, the deputy chief of the general staff of the People’s Liberation Army, in Washington December 10. They discussed a range of security issues including North Korea’s nuclear weapons development program, maritime security, and Iran’s efforts to develop nuclear weapons.
“I won’t say that we agreed on every issue; where we did differ, we had a very candid and frank and productive exchange of views,” Flournoy told reporters at a Pentagon press briefing. “These kinds of talks, I believe, contribute to improving the basis for a more cooperative relationship between our two countries and our two militaries over time.”
Improving military-to-military relations between the United States and China has been a significant concern of the Obama administration since early 2010, and Gates has repeatedly called for a resumption of consultations and visits. Gates travels to China to kick-start talks and prepare for Chinese President Hu Jintao’s visit to Washington January 19.
Flournoy said the December meeting with Ma was designed to help contribute to setting a positive tone and creating success in both of the upcoming meetings. “We also discussed avenues of cooperation across a broad range of regional security issues, including Africa, North Korea, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran,” Flournoy said.
Flournoy and Ma exchanged views on the U.S. Nuclear Posture Review, which defines how and when the United States will employ nuclear weapons in its own defense, and the U.S. Ballistic Missile Defense Review. “We discussed the importance of China continuing to make progress in improving its openness and transparency in defense matters,” Flournoy added.
China chairs the Six-Party Talks that work to convince North Korea to forgo a nuclear weapons development program and efforts to build long-range ballistic missiles. China, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Russia and the United States make up the Six-Party Talks.
China has also participated in the six-nation talks to convince Iran to forgo its nuclear ambitions. China along with Britain, France, Germany, Russia and the United States are engaged in talks with Iranian officials.
While in Japan, Gates will visit with Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa and other senior members of the Japanese government, Morrell said.
“We will use that portion of the trip to discuss recent security developments in the region and to further develop our long-term agenda for strengthening and deepening the bilateral alliance,” Morrell said. “The visit will underscore the centrality of the U.S.-Japan relationship for addressing regional and global challenges, now and in the years to come.”
In Seoul, Gates will meet with National Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin.
“They will discuss North Korea’s recent actions and consult on the way forward for the alliance to address the threats posed by North Korean provocations and its nuclear and missile programs,” Morrell said.
(This is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://www.america.gov)
