Defense Minister Liang Guanglie's ongoing visit to the United States is the latest initiative from Beijing and Washington to build strategic mutual trust and deepen exchanges between the two militaries.

Liang's weeklong tour, which concludes on Thursday, is the first by a Chinese defense chief in nine years. His extensive schedule indicates Washington has attached great importance to the visit.

The results of Liang's visit so far have been encouraging. During his meeting with US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta on Monday, Liang said China and the US should build a new kind of military relationship based on equality, cooperation and mutual benefit. The two defense chiefs have agreed to continue consultative talks, keep their communication channel open and enhance exchanges and cooperation in a wide range of fields. They also agreed to conduct humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and counter-piracy joint exercises this year.

These results embody the two sides' mutual desire to promote military exchanges and signal a beginning in deepening military-to-military ties.

Both big players on the world stage, China and US must shoulder their responsibilities in safeguarding world peace and stability. A healthy and stable military relationship between the two is beneficial to all.

Despite a number of differences, military ties between the two countries have been moving forward on the whole. Over the years, a chill in bilateral military exchanges has always been ignited by the US decision to sell arms to Taiwan of China.

But the US' reconnaissance activities in China's coastal areas and the US' strategic pivot to the Asia-Pacific, which is widely perceived as targeting China, have also sown the seeds of distrust.

Any mishandling of these differences would result in severe consequences. It serves both countries' fundamental interests to cooperate in security areas in the Asia-Pacific region. To this end, it is crucial that the two militaries continue to strengthen dialogues and communication, deepen pragmatic cooperation and properly handle differences and sensitive issues.

(China Daily 05/10/2012 page8)