China willing to jointly counter terror threat with US: Chinese FM

WASHINGTON - China opposes any form of terrorism and is willing to work together with the United States to counter the threat of terrorism, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Wednesday.

Both sides should make efforts to realize positive interaction and cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region, Wang said when he met US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel at the Pentagon.

China respects the US traditional influence and realistic interests in the Asia-Pacific region and supports it in playing a constructive role in the Asia-Pacific affairs, while the United States should respect China's status and influence in the region, its need for reasonable development space and its legitimate rights, he said.

China hopes the United States will properly handle those issues that hinder the development of China-US ties, such as its sales of weapons to China's Taiwan, and its warships and military aircraft's approaches to China for surveillance, Wang said.

The Chinese foreign minister expressed appreciation for Hagel's constructive role in pushing ahead the relations between the two countries and militaries.

The new-type relations between Chinese and US militaries are indispensable for the new-type major-country relations between them, Wang said.

China and the United States should build strategic mutual trust, very importantly the mutual trust between their militaries, and reduce mistrust, he said.

Expressing congratulations on the 65th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, Hagel said that the United States and China are partners, not rivals, and there are far more common interests than differences between the two countries.

The US-China relations should move ahead along the right direction in the 21st century and the two countries should be jointly dedicated to safeguarding world peace, security and stability, Hagel said.

This is what the peoples of the two countries and the whole world hope to see, he said.

The military ties should play a role of bridge in the relations between the two countries, Hagel said, adding that the two sides should strengthen contacts and exchanges and enhance mutual trust.