WASHINGTON – Navy Adm. Michael Mullens, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, hosted an Armed Forces Full Honor Review Ceremony Tuesday in honor of Chen Bingde, chief of the General Staff of China, on Tuesday, in Washington.

After the gun salute, they inspected through the five US military forces. Standing on the red carpet, they introduced their delegation members to each other.

The military-to-military relations between the two countries have been on the roller coast ride since the two countries established official diplomatic relations in 1979.

Chen's visit, the first in seven years by an officer of his rank, is part of efforts to implement the consensus reached by President Hu Jintao and his US counterpart Barack Obama, according to the Chinese Defense Ministry.