China urges US to reduce military activities in S. China Sea

Secretary of Defense Ash Carter welcomes Gen. Fan Changlong, vice-chairman of China's Central Military Commission, with an enhanced honor cordon at the Pentagon, June 11, 2015. [Photo/SIPA]

On Taiwan-related issues, Fan urged the US government to abide by the one-China policy and refrain from sending wrong messages to the forces seeking the island's independence from mainland China.

For his part, Carter agreed with the Chinese proposal of building a new type of military-to-military relationship.

Washington is looking forward to Xi's state visit to the United States in September, and believes that the two militaries can establish a practical and sustainable relationship, he said.

The two military chiefs also exchanged views on issues of mutual concern, including military-to-military relations and issues concerning Taiwan, Japan and the Korean Peninsula.

On Friday, Fan is expected to witness, with US Army Chief of Staff Raymond Odierno, the signing of the China-US Army-to-Army Dialogue Mechanism at the National Defense University, which will open a new channel for leaders in the two armies "to raise and discuss issues of mutual concern such as humanitarian assistance and disaster response practices," according to the Pentagon.

The general is also scheduled to hold meetings with senior US officials at the White House and State Department on Friday.

The high-level Chinese military delegation headed by Fan, which started its US trip on Monday, has already visited such places as a Boeing factory in Seattle, the Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego, and the US Army base at Fort Hood, Texas.