At Beijing talks, Defense Secretary Gates falls short of goals

[cowcommander]

Source: LA Times

BEIJING — Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and his Chinese counterpart said Monday that they would look for ways to deepen military cooperation, but tensions over Taiwan arm sales and China's modernization of its armed forces remained unresolved. Beginning a three-day visit to China, Gates said China had accepted his invitation for Gen. Chen Bingde, a senior Army officer, to visit Washington this year and had agreed to consider regular talks on nuclear posture, missile defense and cyber warfare.

But the U.S. had sought specific dates for Chen's visit, a request that was rebuffed, and only managed to win Chinese assent to establish a working group of officials from both countries to discuss how to structure the "strategic dialogue" that the Pentagon hopes to initiate with Chinese military leaders. One of Gates' priorities during his visit is to win Beijing's agreement for closer military ties, a goal that Defense Minister General Liang Guanglie said China shared in a joint press conference in which both men stressed the importance of regular contacts to ease tensions and prevent miscalculations between the two powers.

"We are in strong agreement that in order to reduce the chances of miscommunication, misunderstanding or miscalculation, it is important that our military-to-military ties are solid, consistent and not subject to shifting political winds," Gates said.


Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/la-fgw-china-gates-20110111,0,7446723.story

[Warren Stupidity]

1. We spend around 1T/yr on military shit

and we have the fucking gall to complain about what China is spending? Seriously?