General Guo Boxiong, vice chairman of China's Central Military Commission (CMC), met US Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld at the Pentagon on Tuesday, and the two sides agreed to enhance mutual understanding and further cooperation.

At the talks, the two had an indepth exchange of views on the international and regional security situations, the relationships between the two countries and two armies as well as other issues of mutual concern.

	General Guo Boxiong shakes hands with US defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld outside Pentagon yesterday. [Reuters]

General Guo said the purpose of his current visit to the United States was to implement the consensus reached by Chinese President Hu Jintao and his US counterpart George W. Bush on increasing exchanges and cooperation between the two armed forces during Hu's visit to the United States in April.

He expressed the hope that his visit would help enhance mutual understanding and trust, foster the friendship and increase cooperation so as to deepen the relationship between the two armed forces.

The general also briefed Rumsfeld about China's defense policy and the development of its armed forces.

Rumsfeld said China is a country which carries considerable weight in the world and that soldiers of the two countries should enhance mutual understanding, which will benefit both sides.

At the talks, the two sides agreed to conduct joint naval maritime search and rescue exercises within this year, launch cooperation on military archives involving the US-related personnel missing or captured before and after the Korean War, further promote exchanges between military academies and young officers of the two armed forces and expand cooperation in other areas.

Later in the day, General Guo also met with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and they exchanged views on relationship between the two countries and the two armed forces, issues related to the world's hot spots and other issues of mutual concern.

They agreed that a furtherance of bilateral and military-to-military ties not only conforms to the interests of the two peoples, but is also conducive to peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region as well as in the whole world.

During the two meetings, General Guo stressed that the Taiwan issue bears upon China's core interests, and both the Chinese people and China's military attach great importance to it and regard it as a matter of great importance and principle.

He expressed the hope that the US side will adhere to the three joint communiques between China and the United States and honor its commitment to opposing "Taiwan independence." He also hoped the US side will properly handle the issue so as not to send wrong signals to Taiwan's secessionists.

During the meetings, the US side said the US government will not change the one-China policy and is opposed to attempts by Taiwan authorities to unilaterally change the status quo across the Taiwan Straits.

On Tuesday evening, General Peter Pace, chairman of the US Joint Chief of Staff, hosted a dinner for General Guo.

The Chinese general, who started his week-long visit to the United States Sunday night, arrived here Monday night.

On Monday, he made a stopover in San Diego, where he visited the US aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan and the 3rd US Navy Fleet.