Chinese Defense Minister Liang Guanglie made use of the first ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus) to strengthen regional peace and stability by delivering a speech and holding talks.

At the meeting which opened here Tuesday, Liang said non-traditional security issues pose grave challenges to regional security and China's defense development is not aimed at challenging or threatening anyone.

He said China's defense development aims to ensure its own security and promote international and regional peace and stability, adding that China pursues a defense policy that is defensive in nature.

Liang said the security situation in the Asia-Pacific remains generally stable but the region is still confronted with many traditional and non-traditional security challenges, like tsunamis, earthquakes, typhoons and floods.

Non-traditional security issues pose grave challenges to regional security, economic growth and people's livelihood, Liang said. They are usually transnational and unpredictable, and require a joint response, the defense minister said.

Liang made three proposals to strengthen the security dialogue and cooperation to enhance regional stability and prosperity.

He said countries in the region should promote mutual understanding and trust to consolidate the political foundation for regional security cooperation.

He urged countries in the region to establish a reasonable security mechanism and cement the platform for regional security cooperation.

Liang also called on them to press ahead with practical cooperation in a steady manner and keep regional security cooperation on the right track.

The first ADMM-Plus brings together officials from 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) -- Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam -- and their eight dialogue partners -- Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Russia and the United States.

On Monday, Liang, on the sidelines of the ADMM-Plus, held talks with U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates on bilateral military ties.

Liang said China-U.S. relations have maintained a momentum of stable development in recent years as China and the United States have agreed to build a positive, cooperative and comprehensive relationship for the 21st century.

Liang said military relations constitute an important part of bilateral ties. Currently, the two countries are facing some obstacles in developing military relations, with the U.S. arms sales to China's Taiwan being the main reason.

Monday's meeting was the first one between the two defense chiefs after bilateral military ties soured in January following the Pentagon's decision to sell a nearly 6.4-billion-U.S.-dollar arms package to Taiwan, an inalienable part of China.

The defense minister said China has been positive and sincere in developing military ties with the United States.

For his part, Gates said the United States is committed to implementing the common vision of the two countries' leaders and promoting positive and cooperative bilateral relations.

He said China-U.S. military ties are an important part of bilateral ties, and continued dialogue between the two armies is key to reducing misjudgment and mistrust.

Liang invited Gates to visit China early next year, and Gates accepted the invitation.

On the same day, Liang told his Japanese counterpart Toshimi Kitazawa here Monday that China hopes Japan would properly handle sensitive issues concerning bilateral relations so as to make the relationship return to normal as soon as possible.

The Chinese government stands for promoting mutual understanding through dialogue and overcoming differences between the two sides through consultation, Liang said during a conversation.

Liang said Chinese-Japanese relations have been seriously damaged recently due to Japan's illegal detention of Chinese fishermen and their fishing vessel near China's Diaoyu Islands. "This is what we do not want to see," the defense minister said.

He also said China attaches importance to bilateral defense exchanges with Japan, hoping the two sides would increase mutual trust and promote the healthy development of their defense exchanges.

For his part, Kitazawa said Japan and China are friendly neighbors, and both sides should calmly and properly handle the existing problems.

He also said the two sides should strengthen exchanges in all areas to promote their ties, especially in the field of defense exchanges.

China-Japan relations have been strained since a collision occurred between two Japanese Coast Guard patrol ships and a Chinese trawler on Sept. 7 in the waters off the Diaoyu Islands, which are an inalienable part of China.

Japan's illegal detention of the Chinese trawler and crew members has incurred strong protests from the Chinese government and public.