After earthquake, China welcomes U.S. military

As Defense Secretary Robert Gates heads to Singapore, the Pentagon sees a turnaround in the Chinese security forces.

By Gordon Lubold | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor

from the May 30, 2008 edition

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Washington - China's response to the May 12 earthquake that killed thousands has pleasantly surprised some US officials and forced them to view the country and its sometimes mysterious military with fresh eyes.

The Chinese government has not only accepted US aid graciously, but also has allowed the US military to have a new level of communication with its Chinese counterparts, for the first time using a new "hot line" created to increase discussion among Chinese and American military commanders.

The new signs of cooperation come as Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, travel to Singapore for Friday's regional security talks that are expected to have a different flavor in light of the recent developments in China.

Adm. Timothy Keating, who heads the US Pacific Command and has visited the country twice in the last year, said China's acceptance of aid and willingness to talk to US military leaders seems like a turnaround for a country that has been secretive and suspicious of inquiry.

"China's reaction here in the aftermath of this earthquake is different than China's reaction has been to other natural disasters in China," he told Pentagon reporters Wednesday. "While it is catastrophic and tragic, it nonetheless is an opportunity for us to increase and improve the communications we have with officials in China."

The US military has shared satellite imagery with China to help government officials there determine the extent of the damage from the earthquake and its aftershocks in Sichuan Province that killed more than 67,000 people. It's an in for the US military, which engages with its Chinese counterparts but is often mystified by the lack of transparency as China builds submarines and new bombers, and develops other military programs.

So far, the Chinese have accepted two military flights carrying water, food, generators, blankets, and 183 chain saws. An additional commercial flight on Tuesday brought in more tents, for a total of 800, for people whose homes were ruined. The acceptance of US aid is in stark contrast to Burma (Myanmar), which has refused the bulk of what the US has offered following the deadly cyclone there this month.

Historically, the Chinese have been loath to accept foreign aid, seeing it as "losing face," some analysts say. But defense officials say that they've seen small differences in the way the Chinese accepted aid for this disaster. Even during the severe snowstorms in China last winter, the US employed far more diplomatic initiatives in trying to help China, defense officials say. This time, the Chinese government issued international pleas for help and has been responsive in accepting and then acknowledging the assistance publicly.

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