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Head of U.S. Pacific Command visits China

BEIJING, Sept. 7 (UPI) -- Adm. William J. Fallon, commander of the U.S. Pacific Command, met with senior Chinese military leaders in a bid to bolster better bilateral ties.

Fallon held meetings Tuesday with Liang Guanglie, chief of the General Staff of the People's Liberation Army, and Guo Boxiong, one of the vice chairmen on China's high-level Central Military Commission. There are two CMCs: one provides links between the PLA and the Communist Party; the other between the military and national government.

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Guo was quoted in state-run media saying Sino-U.S. relations have maintained good momentum, and the two sides should deal with the relationship from a strategic and long-term viewpoint, expand consensus, reduce differences, and solve problems in order to push forward a healthy and stable bilateral relationship.

The CMC vice chairman reiterated China's stance on the Taiwan issue to the visiting U.S. military delegation. Fallon responded there was no change in the American position recognizing one China and a peaceful resolution of cross-straits disputes.

According to Xinhua, Liang (also a CMC member) said in his meeting with Fallon that the Chinese military is ready to enhance exchanges and cooperation with the United States.

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China is portraying Fallon's visit a as a positive step. It is a return visit following Liang's trip to Washington in October 2004, at which time U.S. defense officials said the two nations vowed to increase military exchanges at all levels in 2005.

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