US Under Secretary of Defense Michele Flournoy (L) shakes hands with Lieutenant-General Ma Xiaotian, deputy chief of General Staff of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), before their meeting in Beijing, June 23, 2009. China and the United States begin two days of military talks on Tuesday, and are likely to discuss issues including the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and tensions in the South China Sea. [Agencies]