Wednesday, July 13, 2011

South Korea Defense Chief To Visit China for Talks

SEOUL, South Korea - South Korea's defense minister will visit China this week for talks on regional security issues including Beijing's ally North Korea, officials said July 12.
Kim Kwan-Jin, during a trip from July 14-16, will discuss ways to strengthen military ties with his counterpart Liang Guanglie, the defense ministry said in a statement.
Kim will also meet vice president and likely future president Xi Jinping and Chief of Staff Gen. Chen Bingde and tour army and air force bases.
"Kim, during talks with Liang, will exchange opinions about regional security situations including North Korea issues and ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation," the statement said.
Kim's visit will be the first to China by a South Korean defense minister since two deadly incidents blamed on North Korea last year.
Tensions on the peninsula have flared since the South accused the North of torpedoing one of its warships with the loss of 46 lives in March 2010.
The North angrily denied the charge but shelled a border island, killing four South Koreans, including two civilians, and briefly sparked fears of war.
China, the North's sole major ally and its economic lifeline, sparked irritation in Seoul by failing to blame Pyongyang categorically for the attacks.
Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, urged Beijing on July 10 to use its ties with Pyongyang to ensure regional stability and warned the North against further provocations.

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