In this file photo dated Feb 3, 2023, the missile destroyer Huainan (bottom) and the supply ship Hoh Xil of the 42nd fleet of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy sail on the sea. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

BEIJING - The preparations for a China-US Military Maritime Consultative Agreement meeting are well underway, and relevant information will be released in due course, a Chinese military spokesperson said on Thursday.

The two sides are also in coordination on communication and exchanges in other areas, Wu Qian, spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense, said at a regular press conference.

This year, the Chinese and US militaries have made concerted efforts to steadily resume dialogues and consultations on the basis of equality and respect, in a bid to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state in San Francisco, Wu said.

The 17th China-US Defense Policy Coordination Talks was held in Washington DC from Jan 8 to Jan 9

The 17th China-US Defense Policy Coordination Talks was held in Washington DC from Jan 8 to Jan 9, Wu said, adding that from Jan 5 to Jan 19, the Chinese side assisted the US side in visiting Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Hunan Province to conduct site surveys in search of the remains of missing US military personnel in China during WWII.

Noting that this year marks the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and the United States, Wu expressed the hope that the US side will earnestly respect China's core interests and work with the Chinese side in the same direction to jointly promote the sound, stable and sustainable development of military-to-military relations.  

Wu also said that China firmly opposes the United States' dangerous practice of inventing enemies out of thin air.

The United States has continuously and significantly increased its military budget in recent years, Wu pointed out at the press conference. To increase its military budget, the US side has been fabricating and promoting a nonexistent "China military threat".

"This practice of inventing enemies out of thin air is strategically very dangerous. China firmly opposes this," he said.