Developing military contacts and cooperation between China and the United States are in the interests of both countries, especially under the current backdrop of global anti-terror campaign, a US regional military chief said Thursday in Bangkok.
"It will bring up a more cooperative relationship between the two nations, " said visiting Commander-in-chief of US Pacific Command Dennis Blair during a round-table discussion with local-based foreign media staff.
He said during various talks and contacts with Chinese military officials in the past, despite differences on some issues, both sides reached common understanding in topics such as anti-terrorism, regional peace-keeping and drug suppression.
The head of US military forces in Asia-Pacific is in a tour to regional ally countries to pool more support for US military operations against terrorism.
"The summit of Chinese and US presidents last month in Shanghai has given a push for developing bilateral military ties from the highest level, " Blair recalled.
He said the US was glad to see China playing a more active role in regional security issues such as drug-cooperation in Southeast Asia and hoped to bring China into peace-keeping mission in East Timor or somewhere else in the region.
The US commander also said the newly-founded Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), including China, Tajikistan, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, "could be developed into a valuable regional security mechanism." He also gave a briefing of the newest developments of the war in Afghanistan and the anti-terror cooperation with regional countries.
Blair said the US wished to end the war as soon as possible, in order to stop suffering of the Afghani people.
( November 16, 2001)
