WASHINGTON: After more than a year’s hiatus, the Bush administration is seriously weighing a resumption of high-level military talks with China — including a strategic dialogue on new priorities and concerns arising from the ‘war on terror’.

Still, wariness of China remains strong in the Pentagon, which, under Bush, has severely restricted US-China military-to- military ties.

The debate over military relations reflects a larger strategic quandary posed by China, which Washington has embraced as a partner in the ‘war on terrorism’ even as US officials continue to criticize Beijing as a stubborn weapons proliferator and potential long-term military threat.

On one hand, the ‘anti-terror campaign’ offers new opportunities for US-China cooperation. Washington has praised China’s intelligence sharing and diplomatic backing for the war, and plans to station an FBI officer in Beijing. It also values China’s help in easing tensions between Pakistan and India, as well as in restraining North Korea.

For its part, Beijing shares an interest in reviving military ties and broadly improving Sino-US relations. Yet it also has concerns about the post-Sept 11 posture of the United States. Beijing has watched with alarm, for example, the expansion of the US troops around Central and South Asia.

Beijing is also suspicious that the United States’ revival of military ties with India is directed at curbing China’s influence in the region. This month, Washington agreed to sell India military hardware and to hold joint exercises, Jane’s Defence Weekly reported.

“It’s a kind of gritting of teeth,” says Bates Gill, head of Northeast Asian Policy Studies at the Brookings Institution here. China has muted its public statements so as not to appear opposed to the war on terror, he says. “Given the outrageous nature of Sept 11 and US support China is not going to stand in the way of that.”

So far, US military ties with China have been severely curtailed under President Bush, who has boosted weapons sales and strengthened military links to Taiwan while dubbing Beijing a “strategic competitor” — in contrast to the “strategic partner” envisioned by his predecessor.

Tensions between the two militaries were exacerbated last April, when China detained the crew of a US Navy EP-3E plane for 11 days after a mid-air collision led to the loss of a Chinese fighter pilot. Last May, the Pentagon concluded a review of the Clinton policy of broad military contacts with China and instituted a case-by-case approval process, reducing the number of exchanges to a handful.

In recent weeks, however, signs have emerged of a cautious rekindling of the relationship. Last week, a “capstone” delegation of new US generals and admirals left for an Asian tour that includes visits to Chinese military universities and installations.

Now, both Washington and Beijing are actively considering setting dates for a new round of annual Defence Consultative Talks (DCT). Since 1997, these meetings have brought senior Chinese and US officials together to hold a strategic dialogue and plan future military exchanges.

Yet Pentagon officials make it clear that tougher standards will apply to any US-China military contacts, which, under new defence department guidelines, must promote and protect US interests.—Dawn/The Christian Science Monitor News Service.