WASHINGTON - CHINA and the United States will resume their military dialogue in late February after Beijing suspended it last year to protest US arms sales to Taiwan, a Pentagon spokesman said on Monday.

'On 27-28 February 2009, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence David Sedney will hold annual Defence Policy Coordination Talks with the People's Liberation Army in Beijing,' spokesman Bryan Whitman told AFP.

The talks were to come just a few days after a visit to China by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton set for Feb 20-22 as part of her first foreign tour since her appointment as top US diplomat.

The Chinese Army 'invited the US to participate in these talks. We take this as a positive signal that the Chinese are prepared to begin working to resume regular military-to-military exchanges,' said Mr Whitman.

And this year's talks 'will address the US-China military-to-military relationship, challenges to regional and global security, and potential areas for expanding cooperation between the two militaries' including 'potential for extended cooperation on piracy,' he added.

'These talks will be the first policy dialogue with the PLA under the new administration and represent an opportunity to further the dialogue with the PRC on areas of shared interest and mutual benefit,' he said. -- AFP