August 19^th, U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel and Chinese Minister of National Defense General Chang Wanquan held a press conference today in Pentagon.

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Earlier on Friday, General Chang Wanquan visited the Pacific Command in Hawaii and met with Admiral Samuel Locklear III, commander of US Pacific Command. On Saturday, General Chang Wanquan traveled to Colorado and met with Charles Jacoby Jr, commander of the US Northern Command headquartered in Colorado Springs. Both visits were closed to the press. As for the purpose of General Chang's visit, a senior official of the U.S. Department of Defense said the visit would enhance mutual trust of military-to-military relations between U.S. and China.

During today's press conference, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said: "The United States welcomes and supports the rise of a prosperous and responsible China that helps solve regional and global problems."

General Chang Wanquan said: "We also agreed to take use of mechanisms, such as defense consultative talks, military maritime consultative agreements, to actively explore a notification mechanism for major military activities and continue to study the rules of behavior on military air and maritime activities."

Secretary Hagel and General Chang reached an agreement that contacts between service members would build trust. Hagel also expressed America's willingness to invite China to attend next year's Rim of the Pacific multilateral navel exercise.

Both Hagel and Chang Wanquan agreed to set up an exchange mechanism between the People's Liberation Army's strategic planning department and the Joint Staff's strategic, plans and policy directorate.

General Chang emphasized his purpose is to build a new model of major country relationship between China and the U.S. based on mutual respect and win-win cooperation. General Chang said: "At present, the China-U.S. relationship is in a new historical era. Building a new model of China-U.S. military relationship can help us to increase strategic trust to reduce strategic risks and to maintain world peace and regional stability."

This is General Chang's first visit to the U.S. since he assumed office in March 2013. Some analysts say he is a friendly and experienced diplomat, who has been placed great hopes to settle differences between China and the U.S.