China, US agree on defense hotline as Gates visits

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said he raised "uncertainty over China's military modernization and the need for greater transparency to allay international concerns" in talks in Beijing with his Chinese counterpart Cao Gangchuan.

Cao defended China's rapid growth in military spending and, according to Gates, did not address U.S. concerns about a Chinese anti-satellite missile test earlier this year.

However the two did announce agreements on increased cooperation and a direct phone link between their defense establishments for quick communication in times of crisis.

"The United States has a relationship with China that is candid, constructive and cooperative," Gates said.

Beijing has previously indicated it backs a hotline, long wanted by Washington, but the project has not been realized.

U.S. officials had expected China to embrace the idea again during Gates' visit. But they said talks on finalizing the arrangements would be the true test of whether Beijing really had the political will to establish such a direct link.

China's official news agency said the link would be the first of its kind between Beijing and another country.

The two permanent members of the U.N. Security Council also discussed Iran's nuclear program, which Tehran insists is purely for energy generation but Washington believes is meant to produce an atomic bomb.

Gates said they discussed the "importance of Iran not having nuclear weapons" and he emphasized the role of economic pressure. Washington is seeking tougher sanctions on Iran.

IMPROVED TIES

Military relations between China and the United States hit a low point in 2001 when they broke off contact following a collision between a Chinese fighter jet and a U.S. spy plane.

While ties have improved markedly since then, Washington says Beijing has not explained sufficiently why its military budget is posting double-digit growth. Washington also says the official budget is only a fraction of the true figure.

The United States was especially alarmed when Beijing shot down one of its own satellites with a ground-based missile in a test in January.

Asked if he had received an explanation for the test at Monday's talks with Cao, Gates replied tersely: "I raised our concerns about it and there was no further discussion."

China's official military budget is $45 billion for this year -- a rise of 17.8 percent from the previous year. Asked about the buildup, Cao said: "It has been normal deployment of our military force in our own territory."

China, which claims sovereignty over Taiwan and has vowed to bring the democratically ruled island under its rule, by force if necessary, maintains that its armed forces are geared merely for self-defense.

Cao said China wanted a peaceful reunification with Taiwan but if Taiwanese authorities remained on a path towards independence, "1.3 billion Chinese people will by no means agree to that".

Cao said he and Gates had also agreed that their navies would conduct a complex joint exercise "at the proper time."

And they agreed to more educational exchanges and closer cooperation between military archives to resolve the fate of U.S. troops missing from the 1950-53 Korean War, Cao said.

Gates was due to meet President Hu Jintao on Tuesday, before going on to South Korea and Japan later in the week. - DDNews