Military ties move forward

Bilateral exchanges important for US and Chinese military to increase understanding and reach further consensus

The recent visit to China by US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mike Mullen, will further improve bilateral military-to-military ties that have warmed considerably since President Hu Jintao's state visit to the United States in January.

During his four-day visit, which ended on Wednesday, Mullen gave a speech at the prestigious Renmin University of China and met with Vice-President Xi Jinping, who is also vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission. He also visited military bases in the Ji'nan Military Command and Nanjing Military Command and talked with Su-27 pilots about the capabilities of the aircraft. Mullen was also given access to China's Second Artillery Force of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), the first visit by a senior US military official to the military unit that is responsible for China's missile and nuclear stockpiles.