The leadership of the Office for International Military Cooperation of China's Central Military Commission held a video meeting with the U.S. assistant defense secretary at the latter's request on Thursday, the Chinese Defense Ministry said on Friday.

A Chinese official said that the strengthening of communication and exchanges between the militaries of China and the U.S. has injected positive elements into their relationship, creating a hard-won situation that deserves to be cherished by both sides. 

The two militaries should adhere to mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation, which is the right way to get along, the official said.

The official emphasized that the U.S. military collusion with China's Taiwan region and the separatist acts of the "Taiwan independence" forces are the main sources of chaos destabilizing the Taiwan Straits, and the Chinese military's determination to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity is unwavering.

The official said that the U.S. encouraged "proxies" in the South China Sea to stir up disputes, and China's actions to safeguard its rights are completely legitimate and legal, adding that the U.S. deployment of land-based intermediate range missiles seriously jeopardizes regional security, and if it is bent on having its own way, it will certainly be met with China's resolute counteraction.