China-U.S. joint military drill. (Photo/Navy.81.cn)
A U.S. navy observer aboard Chinese Qingdao destroyer during a Sino-U.S. joint naval search and rescue drill. (Photo/Xinhua)
Military: New type relationship overcomes obstacles
Speaking of Chinese and U.S. military ties, some are still talking about "who will win in times of war?" and "who has better weapons?" As a matter of fact, bilateral military exchanges between the two countries have gone much further.
In January 1980, Harold Brown, the then-U.S. Defense Secretary, visited China, raising the curtain for China-U.S. military exchanges. It's the first time ever a U.S. Defense Secretary stepped on Chinese mainland since the founding of the new China in 1949.
There have been frequent exchanges between the two armies since 2013, including China-U.S. anti-piracy naval drill in the Gulf of Aden, the Sino-U.S. joint naval search and rescue drill and the 2014 Rim of the Pacific drill. Such join exercises were beyond imagination decades ago.
It's an inevitable trend for China and U.S. to increase mutual trust and U.S. also needs to know and evaluate China's intention and capacity. China-U.S. new-type military relationship is an essential component of the new model of major-country relations between China and U.S. and also previous meetings between President Xi Jinping and President Barack Obama. Military ties may become a highlight of President Xi's upcoming visit to U.S., according to military experts.
Despite all the differences and conflicts, China and U.S. shared always more interests than differences in the past 36 year. It requires joints efforts on both sides to build a new model of major-country relations between China and U.S. featuring non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation.
