BEIJING — The top US military officer said Monday that Washington’s armed presence in the Asia-Pacific was meant to contribute to regional stability as he met his Chinese counterpart on a rare visit.
Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was in Beijing amid regional tensions over North Korea’s nuclear program, maritime disputes and China’s concerns that the US wants to contain its growing military strength.
Relations between Washington and Beijing have also been strained over a US “pivot” to Asia after years of conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan and accusations, denied by China, that its military has carried out large-scale cyber attacks on US companies and institutions.
“We seek to be a stabilizing influence in the region,” Dempsey said at a joint news conference with Fang Fenghui, the chief of the People’s Liberation Army general staff.
“We are committed to building a better, deeper, more enduring relationship,” he said.
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