In a sign of the deepening ties between the two nations' armed forces, Guo Boxiong, vice-chairman of China's Central Military Commission (CMC), is expected to arrive in the United States today.

Guo Boxiong, vice-chairman of China's Central Military Commission (CMC), ranks second to Chairman Hu Jintao in the 11-member CMC, China's top military authority. [Reuters]

Guo, whose visit comes at the invitation of Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, is the highest-ranking officer to visit the US since 2001.

He ranks second to Chairman Hu Jintao in the 11-member CMC, China's top military authority.

Guo's visit comes as China-US military relations are "at their best since 2001," said Qian Lihua, deputy director of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Defence Ministry.

Qian said Guo's US visit is "the most important Chinese military exchange with another country this year."

During his stay in Washington, Guo is scheduled to hold talks with Rumsfeld on a wide range of issues, including international and regional security, and China-US military ties.

He will also meet with other members of the Bush administration.

In addition, the week-long visit will take Guo to US military bases and institutions.

Analysts say co-operative agreement on specific fields might come out of the visit.

"Guo's visit will help promote trust and expand co-operation in security fields," said Yang Yi, director of the Institute for Strategic Studies at the National Defence University of China.

Among Guo's entourage are the Political Commissar of Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Nanjing Military Area Command Lei Mingqiu, Assistant to the PLA Chief of the General Staff Zhang Qinsheng, Deputy Commander of PLA Navy Zhao Xingfa, Deputy Commander of PLA Air Force Liu Chengjun, and Chief of Staff of PLA Second Artillery Force Yu Jixun.

The visit is the latest in the growing number of high-level visits between Chinese and US armed forces over the past few years.

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