US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld left Washington for Beijing on Monday, the first visit of its kind since he became the chief of the Pentagon.

During his stay in Beijing, Rumsfeld will meet with the Chinese military leaders to discuss ways to improve the military-to-military relations between the two countries and issues of mutual concern.

Over the past years, the military relations between the two countries have improved, characterized by visits by Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan to the US in October 2003 and by General Richard Myers, former chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, to China in 2004.

Meanwhile, Admiral William Fallon, commander of the US Pacific Command, also made his first visit to China In September 2005.

Rumsfeld's visit to China is the first leg of his eight-day trip that also includes stops in South Korea, Mongolia, Kazakhstan and Lithuania.

(Xinhua News Agency October 18, 2005)