President Hu Jintao met with visiting US Defense Secretary Robert Gates in Beijing on Jan 11, 2011. Welcoming Gates, Hu said Gates's visit showed the importance the two countries attach to the development of military relations.

President Hu says the visit signals new progress in the relationship between the two countries' armed forces, and he believes it will help strengthen understanding and trust.

President Hu says relations show promise. He says the two countries have many common interests and healthy China-US ties are what both countries want. Hu says ties should be developed on the basis of finding agreements in which both countries benefit. Gates said US President Barrack Obama is looking forward to President Hu's visit to the US.

However, military ties are faced with new developments and challenges. Gates says his visit is valuable and his country would like to improve relations with China. He says his visit to China was successful and the two sides came to a consensus on many issues.

Source: CCTV