The continued freeze in Sino-US military exchanges is affecting a private venture to foster ties between retired generals from both sides.
Admiral Bill Owens (pictured), former Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the leader of the US side of the so-called Sanya Initiative, said a small informal gathering would be held in China this month but Beijing had made it clear the formal annual gathering of 10 generals would not occur until the wider military relationship had improved.
'It is clear the Chinese side have suspended contacts,' Hong Kong-based Owens said, referring to the chill that followed renewed US arms sales to Taiwan and the Dalai Lama's visit to the White House earlier this year.
He said it was still important that both sides would still allow the generals to meet 'as friends ... and that's some degree of progress in a relationship that has been certainly tenuous at times like this, so I think it's a good sign.'
He added that he was 'grieved' at the state of the broader military relationship, given its importance to future Sino-US ties.
The three-year-old grouping has seen top retired brass meet officials on both sides including General Xu Caihou, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and senior Pentagon figures. Military analysts will be watching to see whether any serving Chinese officials meet the smaller group later this month - a possible sign relations may be easing.
