China-US Ties: US Secretary of State James Mattis is visiting China

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01:46

The US secretary of defense is headed to China, amid escalating tension between China and the United States. This is James Mattis's first visit to China since he took office. Zhong Shi earlier joined us in the show with a preview of his visit and a review of Sino-U.S. military relations.

ZHONG SHI BEIJING "Mattis was invited by his Chinese counterpart Wei Fenghe. And, China's Ministry of National Defense says he will meet with Chinese state-and-military leaders. Before his departure for Beijing, Mattis said he wants to know Beijing's intentions."

JIM MATTIS US SECRETARY OF DEFENSE "I'm going there (China) to get what I consider to be, straight from them, what they see for a strategic relationship. So I want to go in right now without basically poisoning the well at this point, as if my mind's already made up. I'm going there to have a conversation."

Military relations have cooled between China and U.S. recently. Mattis is always resolute on the South China Sea issue. He cancelled China's invitation to the Rimpac exercise, for what he said was China unilaterally militarizing the region. As a warning to Beijing, US strategic bombers have patrolled the region, which prompted China to install more air-defense systems on islands.

Meanwhile, U.S. plans to sell more weapons to Taiwan have triggered strong protests from Beijing. The Pentagon has also complained that U.S. pilots over the East China Sea and off the Horn of Africa were targeted by Chinese laser weapons.

Beijing says both sides have maintained strong military communication despite challenges. Mattis will visit South Korea and Japan after his China stop.