A Chinese defense spokesperson on Friday said the Chinese military stands ready to engage in exchanges and cooperation with its United States counterpart on the basis of equality and mutual respect to build a sound, stable and sustainable relationship between the two militaries.

Zhang Xiaogang, a spokesperson with the Ministry of National Defense, made the remarks when asked to comment on the Pentagon spokesperson's statement that the two sides plan to hold a military maritime consultative agreement meeting in early 2024.

China's attitude towards developing China-U.S. military relations is consistent and clear, Zhang noted.

This year marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of China-U.S. diplomatic ties, Zhang said.

"We expect the U.S. side to develop a right perception of China, respect the core interests and major concerns of the Chinese side, and take concrete actions to work with us in the same direction to follow through the important consensus reached by the two heads of state in San Francisco," he said. 

(Cover: Zhang Xiaogang, a spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense, speaks at a press conference in Beijing, China. /China's Ministry of National Defense)