Gates gets few answers from Beijing

China’s military leadership on Monday assured U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates that it opposes a nuclear-armed Iran.

But to the disappointment of Pentagon officials, on a visit here for talks on a range of military issues between the two countries, it appears the Chinese position on Iran’s nuclear development, for now, will be no more than words.

Chinese military officials told their American counterparts that they believe “discussion” alone -- as opposed to economic sanctions -- will dissuade Iran from building a nuclear weapon. Gates will make the case for sanctions once more today, when he meets with Chinese President Hu Jintao.

“That is where you get your real answers,” said a senior Defense official. “I continue to hope that on Iran we would get a stronger understanding of the importance of using all the tools of diplomacy, not just discussions, but sanctions and pressure. Just talking hasn’t gotten us very far with Iran.”

Chinese military leaders said nothing of U.S. requests that they stop selling military supplies to Iran.

Iran’s nuclear program is one of the most urgent issues for Gates in China. The Iranian issue was raised and the two sides “agreed that it is important to pursue efforts to persuade the Iranian government to change their behavior and their policies peacefully, through diplomatic means,” Gates said.

U.S. Defense officials came to China promising to ask questions on a host of tricky issues. They asked China to be more forthright about its military spending. And Gates was asked Monday whether he had received a satisfactory answer about why China shot down a weather satellite in January.

American military officials have said the debris field from the explosion threatened other satellites and could signal the expansion of China’s military into space.

“I raised the concerns about it and there was no further discussion,” Gates said.

Senior Defense officials said they viewed the Beijing meetings as a step toward prodding the Chinese into more serious and candid conversations about the country’s military strategy.

At a news conference with Gates, Chinese Defense Minister Gen. Cao Gangchuan said the U.S. and Chinese navies would conduct a joint exercise, following up on a pair of rudimentary exercises this year. But Cao quickly added that the next exercise would occur “at the proper time.”

Pentagon officials also hailed China’s embrace of a dedicated hotline between the Pentagon and Beijing’s military leadership.

But the Chinese have agreed to establish that communications link in the past -- most recently in June -- only to have plans become ensnared in technical and bureaucratic objections. Comments by Cao left Beijing room to back off from implementing a hotline.

“We will both urge the relevant departments [to] press ahead with their technical consultations and preparations so the agreement can be finalized,” Cao said.

The lack of solid agreements on the first day of meetings was less significant than the tone of the talks, U.S. officials said.

“This is not a trade negotiation. This is not us asking for stuff and getting stuff from them at the end of the meeting,” the U.S. official said. “But . . . the fact that the secretary of Defense is here frankly discussing these issues with the Chinese is significant.”

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julian.barnes@latimes.com