Liang, also a member of the Central Military Commission, said the three meetings between Chinese President Jiang Zemin and US President George W. Bush were of great significance to the development of the bilateral constructive relationship of cooperation.

Hu Jintao, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, elected at the 16th National Congress of the CPC last month, also visited the US earlier this year.

China and the US had made progress in various fields including anti-terrorism efforts, economy and trade, science and technology, energy and environmental protection as well as consultation and cooperation in major international and regional issues, he said.

Military relations between the two countries were an important component of bilateral relations, he said.

China was willing to promote military relations on the basis of mutual trust and benefit, and improved understanding, he stressed.

He also said the Taiwan issue was always the most important and sensitive issue of the Sino-US relations.

China expected the United States to honor its commitments to the Chinese government and properly settle the issue of arms sales to Taiwan and contribute to the peaceful reunification of China, he said.

Armitage said the United States hoped to establish friendly relations with China, and the relations between the two countries played an important role in the prosperity and stability of the Asian-Pacific region.

Friendly exchanges between the US and Chinese armies had a positive role in the improvement of the relations between the two countries, he added.

US President George W. Bush reiterated the US stance of adherence to the one-China policy and of abiding by the three Sino-US joint communiques and opposition to "Taiwan's independence", during his meeting with Chinese President Jiang Zemin in October, he stressed.

(Xinhua News Agency December 12, 2002)