China, U.S. aim to build productive military-to-military relationship

China and the United States agree to actively pursue a productive military-to-military relationship that is "constructive, pragmatic, and effective," according to a statement released Friday.

"Both sides recognized the China-U.S. military-to-military relationship is an important stabilizing factor to the overall bilateral relationship," said the statement released after the First Round of China-U.S. Diplomatic and Security Dialogue.

Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi co-chaired the dialogue with U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Secretary of Defense James Mattis in Washington D.C. on Wednesday.

China and the United States are committed to implementing in good faith the annual military-to-military exchange program, enhancing high-level engagements, realizing the exchange of visits between the two defense ministers at an early date and the visit of the Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff to China at an early date, according to the statement.

The two sides are also committed to deepening their cooperation in such fields as humanitarian assistance and disaster management, fighting piracy and military medical science.

"The two sides reaffirm the importance of building mutual understanding, and of reducing the risk of miscalculation between our two militaries," said the statement.

Fang Fenghui, a member of China's Central Military Commission (CMC) and chief of the CMC Joint Staff Department, also participated in the Wednesday dialogue.