Because the United States and China have developed technological capabilities in the cyber arena, the nations must work together to avoid misperception that could lead to a crisis, the Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta has said.

In a recent meeting between Panetta and Liang—the first US visit in nine years by a Chinese defense minister—the two discussed expanding cooperation in areas such as peacekeeping, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and counterpiracy. They also spoke about maritime areas, nuclear proliferation, missile defence and cyberspace.

“It’s extremely important that we work together to develop ways to avoid any miscalculation or misperception that could lead to crisis in this area,” Panetta said. A fiscal 2011 report to Congress outlined some of the history between the United States and China in the fledgling military area of cyber defence.

The report, “Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China 2011,” said that many computer systems around the world, including those owned by the US Government, were the target of intrusions, some of which appeared to have originated in China. The intrusions, it said, focused on exfiltrating information, or stealthily removing information from computer networks.

“Both the United States and China have developed advanced technology with regard to the cyber arena,” the Secretary said. “And it’s true, as the general pointed out, that we agreed that there are other countries, there are hackers, there are others involved in some of the attacks that both of our countries receive.”