The Chinese Foreign Ministry notes that Rumsfeld’s first visit to Beijing will take place from Tuesday to Thursday. Among the topics of discussion, says spokesman Kong Quan, will be “bilateral and military relations between the two countries.” He also says, “The visit is imperative and helpful to promote mutual understanding.”
Members of the House Armed Services Committee say the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile program has been set back three months due to the ongoing government shutdown. The comment is noteworthy because the JATM's status has been kept tightly under wraps.
