Want good relationship with China: Panetta

US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has said he wants to develop a cooperative relationship with China and have a transparent relationship where they understand each other.

Washington: US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta
has said he wants to develop a cooperative relationship with
China and have a transparent relationship where they understand each other and know what each other were doing.

"China -- my goal, frankly, is to try to develop a
cooperative relationship with China and to try to at least be
able to have a transparent relationship where we understand
each other and we know what each other is doing," Panetta told
the CNN in an interview.

Panetta said that it was of the concern for the US if
China decide to militarize, improve their weaponry and then
constitute a threat to countries in that region.

"And so for that reason, we always have to have a forward
presence in the Pacific that makes very clear that we have to
protect the international community and their ability to have
free access to the sea lanes, but more importantly, to be able
to protect their own interest in that country," Panetta said.

PTI

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