China, US to boost security ties, but no breakthroughs

BEIJING: China and the United States agreed on Thursday to boost military ties and counter-terrorism cooperation during high-level annual talks in Beijing, but there was little immediate sign of progress on thorny cyber-security or maritime issues.
The two-day talks, led by Secretary of State John Kerry and Treasury Secretary Jack Lew for the United States and Vice Premier Wang Yang and top diplomat Yang Jiechi for China, were never expected to achieve great breakthroughs.
The Strategic and Economic Dialogue, now in its fifth year, is more about managing an increasingly complex and at times testy relationship.
After discussions on topics ranging from the value of China’s currency to North Korea, Yang said the two sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in counter-terrorism, law enforcement and military-to-military relations.
He gave few details.
On two of the most sensitive issues – maritime disputes and cyber-spying – Yang largely restated Beijing’s position on both.
“The Chinese side will continue to steadfastly protect its territorial and maritime rights” in the South and East China Seas, Yang told reporters as the talks wrapped up.
“China urged the US side to adopt an objective and impartial stance and abide by its promise to not take sides and play a constructive role in safeguarding regional peace and stability.”
Washington insists it has not taken sides but has criticised China’s behaviour in the potentially energy-rich South China Sea, where the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have overlapping territorial claims with China.
Beijing, however, views the United States as encouraging Vietnam and the Philippines to be more assertive in the dispute, and of backing its security ally Japan in the separate spat over uninhabited islands in the East China Sea. (Reuters)