According to Xinhua, during the meeting with US Defense Secretary Gates, Vice Chairman Xu of the Central Military Commission of the Chinese Communist Party highlighted four obstacles facing the two countries: arms sales to Taiwan, activities of U.S. warships and planes in the Chinese economic offshore zone, legal barriers, and strategic trust in China.
Xinhua concluded with quotes from a Chinese military expert, “Generally, there was no breakthrough in military exchanges to speak of. In the past, whenever the United States needed China to cooperate with its overall strategy, it would make some moves to ease up. Otherwise, they would stir up trouble in Sino-US relations.”
Source: Xinhua, November 2, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/herald/2009-11/02/content_12371404.htm