KEY POINTS:
China and the United States are likely to announce the establishment of a military hotline during a visit by US Defence Secretary Robert Gates, the China Daily newspaper reports, citing unnamed sources.
The US has long been interested in establishing a defence hotline with China, and a Chinese military official indicated in June that Beijing backed the idea.
But a senior US defence official said last week that it remained to be seen whether details of such a plan could be agreed during Gates' visit, which is aimed at strengthening ties.
Though relations have warmed since a low point in 2001, when a Chinese fighter crashed into a US spy plane, Washington remains concerned about China's military build-up.
- Reuters
