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| China-Japan-Koreas |
| Outgoing CNO Mullen visits China |
| 2007-08-17 |
| Outgoing Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Mullen left Wednesday for China on one of his final trips as service chief. MullenÂ’s visit to China is the first by a CNO since 1997, according to Capt. John Kirby, his spokesman. During the week-long trip, Mullen is slated to visit Beijing, naval facilities and schools at Lushun, Qingdao and Ningbo and will address students attending the Dalian Naval Academy, Kirby said. The Senate recently confirmed Mullen to become the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He will take over for Marine Corps Gen. Peter Pace on Oct. 1. Adm. Gary Roughead has been nominated to replace Mullen as CNO, pending Senate approval this fall. In April, Chinese navy chief Vice Adm. Wu Sheng Li visited Norfolk, Va., where he met with Mullen and discussed maritime security and military-to-military relations. Wu has previously met with Roughead in Beijing, when he was U.S. Pacific Fleet Commander and Adm. William Fallon, former commander of U.S. Pacific Command who now heads U.S. Central Command. During a speech in Washington last month, PacCom Commander Adm. Timothy Keating said his command is actively working to facilitate a good working relationship with the Chinese military. Though Keating said he does not consider the Chinese military a threat to the United States, he did say the Chinese must work to improve transparency as they expand their forces and capabilities. So we're all going to be good buddies together? Somehow I think that won't happen. |
| Posted by:gromky |