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Fang Fenghui, chief of the general staff of the People's Liberation Army, will start his first trip to the United States on Tuesday, as a guest of Martin Dempsey, chairman of the US joint chiefs of staff.
The visit is a chance for Dempsey to repay the hospitality he received in China in April 2013, as reciprocation is one of the main focuses of Fang's trip, according to the itinerary disclosed by the Pentagon.
The visit comes amid heightened maritime tensions in the Asia-Pacific region, but observers said the carefully choreographed schedule will highlight both countries' willingness for closer cooperation following US President Barack Obama's recent Asian tour.
In San Diego, his first stop, Fang will be hosted by the US 3rd Fleet, tour the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan and combat ship USS Coronado. Fang and Dempsey will meet on Thursday at the Pentagon, where the Chinese general's arrival will be greeted with full military honors, the Pentagon's press secretary John Kirby said.
Fang will also visit the US Army Forces Command in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, before ending his tour in New York, Kirby added. It will be the first time the headquarters has received a Chinese officer.
"General Dempsey looks forward to the opportunity to meet again with Fang and to continue their conversation on improving our military-to-military relationship with China," Kirby said.
Zhao Weibin, a researcher at the Center for China-US Defense Relations at the PLA Academy of Military Science, said the visit comes at a good time, as it will signal confidence in the two militaries' relationship and weaken those who attempt to play up "Chinese threats".
Bonnie Glaser, a senior adviser for Asia at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said signing agreements on notification of major military activity at sea and maritime safety are the highest priorities for the two militaries.
Questions:
1. Who is Fang Fenghui?
2. Who is chairman of the US joint chiefs of staff?
3. Where is Fang Fenghui’s first stop in the United States?
Answers:
1. Chief of the general staff of the People's Liberation Army.
2. Martin Dempsey.
3. San Diego.
About the broadcaster:
Anne Ruisi is an editor at China Daily online with more than 30 years of experience as a newspaper editor and reporter. She has worked at newspapers in the U.S., including The Birmingham News in Alabama and City Newspaper of Rochester, N.Y.