The United States praised the growing openness of China's military and a senior Chinese general said Saturday the two nations will soon set up a long-awaited defense hot line _ a strong indication of their improving defense ties, The Associated Press reported. In conciliatory comments made at a regional conference, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates appeared to downplay Pentagon's public concerns about China's increasing defense spending. He said that while Washington is concerned about the «opaqueness» of Beijing's military spending and modernization, it recognizes the difference between China's capacity to inflict harm and the intention to do so. «And I believe there is reason to be optimistic about the U.S. China relationship,» Gates said in a speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue, an annual forum of Asia-Pacific defense chiefs in Singapore. Gates' comments were unusually upbeat in contrast to his predecessor, Donald H. Rumsfeld, who had used the same forum two years running to publicly question China's motives in building up its 2.3 million-member army, the world's largest. Gates noted that the U.S. and China have increased military-to-military contacts at all levels, and both countries have «a huge economic and trade relationship.» «As we gain experience in dealing with each other, relationships can be forged that will build trust over time,» he said. --MORE
