April 10 was marked with the official opening of the direct line linking the defense ministry/department of China and the U.S., enabling the Chinese Defense Minister Liang Guanglie and the U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates to make the first direct call ever between them, during which they shared with each other their views on issues of mutual concern. The opening of the direct line has not only added a new channel to facilitate the high-level interaction of the defense sectors of China and the U.S., but also is a landmark manifesting the further growth of mutual military trust between the two countries.

　　In the wake of entering into the 21st century, the international situation has witnessed a litany of new changes, subjecting all countries to numerous novel challenges in the fields of both traditional and non-traditional securities. In the era when stepping up bilateral and multilateral security cooperation and jointly maintaining world peace and regional stability have become the world trend, both China and the U.S. have a clear understanding that building up mutual military trust and enhancing military cooperation are contributive to the development of normal relations between the two countries and the two armed forces as well as the peace and stability of the Asia-Pacific region and the entire world. While constantly expanding exchanges between the two militaries at all levels in recent years, China and the U.S. initiated in 2003 the exploration of the possibility of opening officially a direct line between the defense ministry/department of the two countries. Thanks to the joint efforts put in by the defense ministry department of the two countries, the Chinese and U.S. leaders in charge of national defense affairs agreed through consultations and declared on November 5, 2007 to establish a direct line between the defense ministry/department of the two countries, catapulting the ties between the Chinese and U.S. armed forces to a new height.

　　Being two major powers with weighty clout, both China and the U.S. bear a heavy load of responsibility on their shoulders in defending the world peace and development. The establishment of the direct line between the two defense establishments will not only have a positive bearing on the security milieu of both countries, but also be of great significance to stabilizing the situations of Asia-Pacific region and the entire world. The opening of this new channel of communication is not only a milestone in the China-U.S. military history but also a major event in maintaining world peace and stability and in jointly building a harmonious world.

　　(Apr 11, PLA Daily)                                               Editor: Ouyang Dongmei