SHENYANG, China -- A top U.S. admiral said Monday he has issued a rare invitation to Chinese commanders to observe a U.S. military exercise next month on Guam in an effort to strengthen ties.

Chinese Defence Minister General Cao Gangchuan (R) measures an unidentified U.S. military officer as the commander of U.S. Pacific Command Admiral William Fallon (C) looks on during a meeting in the Chinese Ministry of Defence in Beijing May 10, 2006. [Reuters]

Admiral William Fallon, wrapping up a weeklong visit to China, said he hoped such visits would become part of regular exchanges between the two militaries, which have had little interaction since they broke off following the 2001 collision of a U.S. Navy plane and a Chinese fighter jet.

Fallon said officers from other Asian militaries also were invited to attend the Valiant Shield exercise on the sea near Guam. He said his Chinese hosts reacted positively to the invitation but had not said whether they would attend.

Fallon, a commander of U.S. Pacific forces, said he told Chinese commanders that building a "track record of confidence," would help persuade the U.S. Congress to lift restrictions on military interaction between the two sides.

He said Chinese acceptance of invitations to mix with U.S. and other militaries in the region and exchanges of lower level officers would help build such confidence.

"I believe we need to start moving down this road, and the sooner we do it, the better off we will be," Fallon told reporters in this northeastern Chinese city, the last stop on his trip.

During his four-city tour, Fallon met with Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, Defense Minster Cao Gangchuan, and regional military commanders.

Fallon said Cao expressed concern about a Pentagon report last year that described China as a potential military threat and said that Beijing hoped that such reports in the future would be "more constructive."

Fallon said he told Cao that officials who wrote that report had less information to work with than they wanted and said he pressed the minister to release more information about China's military.