November 6, 2007 (LPAC)--U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates concluded a three day visit to China on Tuesday, meeting Chinese Defense Minister Cao Guangchan and President Hu Jintao. Prior to the visit, Gates had commented that he does not regard China as a military threat to the U.S. According to Xinhua, Gates stated after the talks with Cao: "Mr. Cao and I discussed ways to build on positive momentum in our defense relations and how to use the interactions to improve communications and reduce the risk of misunderstanding. Progress in our defense exchanges will largely depend on the choices we make. I look forward to working with the Minister of Defense and other Chinese leaders to continue building mutual trust and confidence between our two countries."

One outcome of the consensus reached between Gates and his counterparts in China, was the opening of a direct telephone link between the Chinese Defense Ministry and the U.S. Department of Defense.

Gates repeated assurances that the U.S. government would not change its adherence to the one-China policy and the three U.S.-China joint communiques.

Cao and Gates also agreed to strengthen exchanges between military academies and between young officers, and to cooperate on finding Americans who disappeared during the Korean War.

As Professor Zhu Feng of Beijing University put it: "Gates does not see China's military power as a threat, and he has been promoting defense and military exchanges between China and the U.S. since he assumed power. He pursues the policy of contact and dialogue."