Defense Ministry urges cooperation, dialogue in US-China relations

The Chinese military hopes the US can work with China to enhance dialogue, manage differences and risks, prevent crises and properly address issues in China-US military-to-military relations, the Ministry of National Defense said on Thursday.

During the Trump administration, China-US bilateral ties had experienced serious difficulties, and military relations between the two countries had also faced many risks and challenges, ministry spokesman Senior Colonel Wu Qian said in a news briefing.

"Reality has proven containing China is an impossible mission that will ultimately backfire," he said.

Now that China-US relations is at a new starting point, he said, "we hope the new US administration can work with China in upholding the spirits of non-confrontation, mutual respect, and win-win cooperation, enhance dialogue, focus on cooperation, properly manage differences and facilitate a healthy and stable China-US relation going forward."

Wu said the Chinese and US militaries have carried out some pragmatic dialogue since the new year. During a video conference from Tuesday to Wednesday, both sides exchanged opinions on searching for US prisoners of war and those missing in action.

"This demonstrated China is paying attention to humanitarian requests from the US," Wu said. "We hope the US side can uphold the same level of professionalism, work with China to appropriately handle issues in China-US military relations, enhance dialogue, manage risks, avoid crises and push this relationship in a positive direction."