Washington, D.C., United States (AHN) – The United States on Tuesday indicated its efforts to normalize military ties with China, with top level bilateral meetings in the coming weeks.

The Pentagon hinted at efforts to arrange a meeting of Secretary of Defense Robert Gates with his Chinese counterpart in Hanoi, Vietnam next week during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) defense ministers conference that will include the association partner nations of Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Russia and the United States.

Geoff Morrell, the Pentagon spokesman told journalists on Tuesday, “We are efforting to put together a meeting of that sort when Secretary Gates and his Chinese counterpart are attending the ASEAN-plus ministerial in Hanoi early next week.”

Morrell noted that “both sides clearly wish to have such a meeting,” adding the significance being, “It would have been the first time the secretary has had a chance to engage with his Chinese counterpart for nearly a year.”

The Pentagon disclosed ongoing consultations between the U.S. and China “about operational safety,” at sea and in the air along with working “on a work plan for us over the next year,”

Citing the culmination of these consultations at the defense consultative talks in the coming months, Morrell said, “We haven’t nailed it down — that Michele Flournoy, the undersecretary of Defense for policy, would host here in Washington.”

Morrell said, “This is sort of the resumption — the resuming of the military-to-military relationship with China.”

“The Chinese have expressed to us a desire to host the secretary,” Morrell said, adding, “We’re doing that right now, looking forward to reporting back on some possible dates. And our expectation is that we would be able to travel and engage with the Chinese as soon as possible.”

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