WASHINGTON (AFP) – China "never intends to challenge the US" and welcomes its role maintaining peace in the Asia-Pacific region, People's Liberation Army Chief of General Staff Chen Bingde told US military officers Wednesday.
While the Chinese military has improved considerably in the past years, there is still a large gap between them and US military might, Chen told officers at the National Defense University in Washington.
China "never intends to challenge the US," Chen told the officers, speaking through an interpreter.
China "welcomes a constructive US role in maintaining and promoting peace stability and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region," he said.
Later, responding to a question, Chen said there still exists "a 20-year gap" between China's military and that of the western powers.
Chen earlier invited his counterpart, US Joint Chiefs chairman Admiral Mike Mullen, to visit China. "I hope he visits China as soon as possible," Chen said.
In his speech, Chen said it was important to increase "strategic mutual trust through enhanced dialogues and communication, instead of being prone to suspicion."
Both countries "share significant responsibilities for regional and global peace and stability," he said, then quoted President Barack Obama who said that the two countries are economically "inseparable."
The Chinese general also said it was "imperative" that military to military relations be "based on mutual respect and mutual benefit."
"The world does not need to worry about, let alone fear, China's growth," he said.
Chen is on the first trip to the United States by China's top-ranking officer in seven years.
The Chinese general said he had held talks with Mullen and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Military relations between the two economic powers have been strained and lagged behind diplomatic and trade ties, with Beijing objecting to US arms sales to Taiwan while Washington has voiced concern about China's military buildup.
The last US visit by a senior leader from the PLA was in 2009, when General Xu Caihou came to Washington and toured military bases.
When the US defense secretary paid a high-profile visit to Beijing in January, the Chinese military upstaged Gates with an inaugural test flight of the country's J-20 stealth fighter.
While the Chinese military has improved considerably in the past years, there is still a large gap between them and US military might, Chen told officers at the National Defense University in Washington.
China "never intends to challenge the US," Chen told the officers, speaking through an interpreter.
China "welcomes a constructive US role in maintaining and promoting peace stability and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region," he said.
Later, responding to a question, Chen said there still exists "a 20-year gap" between China's military and that of the western powers.
Chen earlier invited his counterpart, US Joint Chiefs chairman Admiral Mike Mullen, to visit China. "I hope he visits China as soon as possible," Chen said.
In his speech, Chen said it was important to increase "strategic mutual trust through enhanced dialogues and communication, instead of being prone to suspicion."
Both countries "share significant responsibilities for regional and global peace and stability," he said, then quoted President Barack Obama who said that the two countries are economically "inseparable."
The Chinese general also said it was "imperative" that military to military relations be "based on mutual respect and mutual benefit."
"The world does not need to worry about, let alone fear, China's growth," he said.
Chen is on the first trip to the United States by China's top-ranking officer in seven years.
The Chinese general said he had held talks with Mullen and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Military relations between the two economic powers have been strained and lagged behind diplomatic and trade ties, with Beijing objecting to US arms sales to Taiwan while Washington has voiced concern about China's military buildup.
The last US visit by a senior leader from the PLA was in 2009, when General Xu Caihou came to Washington and toured military bases.
When the US defense secretary paid a high-profile visit to Beijing in January, the Chinese military upstaged Gates with an inaugural test flight of the country's J-20 stealth fighter.
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Godless Report Abuse It's good to make friends.Reply
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The Liger Report Abuse Has anyone thought about the possibility that lobbyists and pundits want us to way overestimate China's rising Military strength so we dump money into defense that is not needed? Kinda like the Red Scare part 2?Reply
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lovemexfood Report Abuse "A meeting between US and Chinese defence chiefs in Hanoi....." Boy, have times changed! You know you're getting old when the Vietnam War seemed like yesterday!Replies (1)
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Timur Report Abuse If America wants to continue to be a bully, dig a hole for herself and go bankrupt, go right ahead. Why it is so difficult for US to understand where China stands.Reply
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William Report Abuse Between the Gays and the girls, the once proud warrior ethic of the U.S. Military is dead.Replies (2)
Patton, MacArthur, Robert E. Lee, Custer et al must be rolling in their graves.
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Godfrey Report Abuse 3rd time posting this - Yahoo puts it up, it gets some comments, and then dissappears. Why is that. Starting to think that "timothy" guy works at yahoo. Here (again)...Replies (6)
Many of the people posting here seem to doubt this general's word, AND the intent of the Chinese government. That's your choice. However, I'd like to point out some logical reasons WHY China would never want to replace the USA. China simply has no interests in being a military powerhouse that goes broke interfering in other (frequently distant) nations. Remember, people...the USA has military bases all over the world. Military bases require soldiers, equipment and supplies. Sure, we've also got businesses all over the world, but whatever Coke, Haliburton, Exxon or McDonald's makes, it keeps. The bases are paid for by the rest of us, and since "policing" the world is a costly business, there's no way China would wish to emulate or take over this role. China is about taking care of China. If they're building up their arsenal, at least they're keeping it at home, instead of shipping it to every distant corner of the globe. They're not building an empire. They're building a nation. They've seen what it costs to build empires, and have learned from the obvious mistakes therein. Just wish OUR government could learn from it as well. I really can't afford any more of this empire. It costs too much, and doesn't seem of much benefit to the ones that have to pay for it.
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Sherm Report Abuse The general is 100% right. There is no reason to get into a fight with someone committing suicide.Replies (1)
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Grand Imam O'Reilly Report Abuse Great. Just who are we allied against? New Guinea?Reply
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Al Report Abuse Advice to China. Stall and wait for a real President in 2 more years. Oidiot will screw up your military like he has ours. I do think stronger ties to Russia and China would be in the interest of the big three.Reply
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sweetpupz Report Abuse Send us Chinas poor!Open the borders totally!its over and we the US of Mexico,i mean America lost!We were sold out!Reply
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