China, US begin military talks

China and the US began limited military talks on Wednesday in preparation for the upcoming Strategic and Economic Dialogue to be held in Beijing, The New York Times reported. The one-day military-to-military meetings, known as the Strategic and Security Dialogue, will cover cyberwarfare and maritime issues. However, neither side has been able to agree on a serious agenda for talks, despite heightened tensions in the disputed South China Sea last month involving a stand-off between China and the Philippines. Further complicating matters is the case of Chen Guangcheng, a blind human rights lawyer who escaped home arrest and is now said to be seeking asylum in the US embassy in Beijing. The higher-level Strategic and Economic Dialogue will bring Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner to China on Thursday.