SINGAPORE, June 10 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister Wei Fenghe and U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin agreed on Friday to enhance strategic mutual trust and properly manage differences between the militaries of the two countries.
The two defense chiefs, who met here on the sidelines of the 19th Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, agreed that the two militaries should implement the important consensus reached by their heads of state, maintain high-level strategic communication, and should not turn differences into conflict and confrontation.
Wei said currently peace and development, the underlying trends of our times, are facing severe challenges. The Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping have charted the right course for humanity to overcome crises, and peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific demands the joint efforts of regional countries.
He said China hopes to build a major-country relationship with the United States featuring sound and stable development, which should be the direction of joint efforts by both countries.
The United States should view China's development and growth in a rational way, and refrain from attacking, smearing, containing and suppressing China. It must neither interfere in China's internal affairs nor harm China's interests, Wei said, noting that only in this way can the relations between China and the United States proceed toward positive outcomes.
Stable relations between the two militaries are crucial for the development of relations between the two countries, he said, adding that the two militaries should avoid conflict and confrontation.
Wei stressed that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China, and the one-China principle is the political foundation of China-U.S. relationship.
The scheme to use Taiwan to contain China is doomed to fail, he said.
China firmly opposes and strongly condemns a recent announcement by the United States on arms sales to Taiwan, which seriously undermines China's sovereignty and security interests, Wei said, warning that the Chinese government and military will resolutely foil any attempt for "Taiwan independence" and safeguard national unification.
The two sides also exchanged views on issues related to the international and regional situation, the South China Sea and the Ukraine crisis. ■
