Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister Chang Wanquan (L) and US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel inspect the guard of honor during a welcoming ceremony held for Hagel in Beijing on Monday. [Photo by Feng Yongbin/Asianewsphoto]

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BEIJING - Chinese Defense Minister Chang Wanquan on Tuesday morning began talks with visiting U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel on bilateral ties and issues of common concern.

Chang, also a state councilor, told Hagel that China attaches great importance to his visit and believes it will deepen Hagel's understanding of China and the Chinese armed forces.

As guest of Chang, Hagel arrived in Qingdao City of east China's Shandong Province on Monday for a four-day visit. He visited aircraft carrier Liaoning on Monday afternoon and arrived in Beijing later in the evening.

It is Hagel's first visit to China as defense secretary.

It is the third meeting between Chang and Hagel since they each took office last year. In August, Chang visited the United States. They also held a meeting ahead of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Defense Ministers' Meeting-Plus in Brunei's Bandar Seri Begawan.

In April last year, they had a telephone conversation.

The frequent communication and meetings are "rare", Chang said, calling it a symbol of the new type of China-U.S. relations.