Chinese president meets US defence secretary

Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) meets with visiting US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel in Beijing, capital of China, April 9, 2014.  [Photo by Xu Jingxing/chinadaily.com.cn]

BEIJING - Chinese President Xi Jinping met with visiting US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel in Beijing on Wednesday, calling on the two countries to build a new model of military relationship.

"Military-to-military relations are an important component of China-U.S. ties and both sides should develop a new model of military relationship within the framework of building a new type of major-country relations," Xi said.

Xi recalled his Annenberg meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama last June, during which they agreed to build a new type of major-country relations based on mutual respect and win-win cooperation. The two presidents have since met twice, respectively in St. Petersburg during the G20 Summit and in The Hague during the Nuclear Security Summit.

China and the U.S. enjoy broader scope for cooperation under the current complex international landscape, Xi said.

Restating the principles of no conflict and no confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation, Xi called on the two sides to promote practical cooperation in various areas, managing effectively the differences and sensitive issues so that the new type of major-country relations between China and the U.S.could move forward in the right direction.

Hagel thanked Xi for meeting with him and conveyed the greetings of President Obama.

Hagel said his visit aimed to promote the new model of military relations that President Obama and President Xi have supported. Both sides have had positive, candid and constructive talks.

U.S.-China relationship is essential to the development of the world in the 21st century, Hagel said, expressing the willingness to increase dialogue and mutual trust to further the bilateral ties and military-to-military relations.

Xi and Hagel also exchanged views on the Korean Peninsula.

Hagel arrived in Qingdao in east China's Shandong Province on Monday for a four-day China visit.