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US And Chinese Defense Chiefs Open Hotline As Calls For Greater Transparency Increase AFP US Defense Secretary Robert Gates and his Chinese counterpart General Liang Guanglie used a new telephone hotline Thursday between the US and Chinese defense ministries for the first time, the Pentagon said. Gates and Liang spoke to each other for about 30 minutes over the direct telephone link, said Major Stuart Upton, a Pentagon spokesman. Upton said Gates used the call to urge China to work with the newly elected leaders of Taiwan, and reiterated that the United States opposes any unilateral effort by either China or Taiwan to change the status quo.
Liang pushed for an end to US-Taiwanese military relations, according to Xinhua, the official Chinese news agency, which cited a defense ministry statement. China regards Taiwan as a renegade province. Gates congratulated Liang on his recent promotion to defense minister "and welcomed this important step forward in enhancing communications between our ministries," Upton said.
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