US security adviser meets Chinese defense official

U.S. National Security Advisor Tom Donilon, left, introduces his entourage while Chinese President Hu Jintao, right, prepares to shake hands during their meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Tuesday, July 24, 2012. AP/Alexander F. Yuan, Pool

BEIJING–President Barack Obama’s national security adviser met a senior Chinese military official Wednesday to discuss security issues in Asia.

Washington has been pressing the Chinese military for more transparency about its plans, while Beijing is wary of the U.S. military shift to the Asia-Pacific region. It was not immediately known if the issues were raised in Thomas Donilon’s meeting with Gen. Xu Caihou, a vice chairman of the Chinese Central Military Commission, although

The meeting comes a day after Donilon held talks with President Hu Jintao. The official People’s Daily reported Tuesday that both Hu and Donilon pledged to promote relations between the two world powers.

But the newspaper said Hu asked for a “cautious” approach in handling sensitive issues between the countries. It did not say what those issues were.

Donilon’s visit comes as Syria plunges deeper into violence with rebels pressing their fight to topple President Bashar Assad.

China joined Russia last week in vetoing a resolution backed by the U.S. and other Western nations that would have imposed new sanctions on Assad’s regime.

Donilon wraps up his visit later Wednesday with meetings with Vice Premier Wang Qishan and Vice President Xi Jinping, who takes over from Hu as China’s top leader later this year