*BEIJING: China is committed to peace and won’t cause “chaos” in the world,but cannot give up even an inch of territory that the country’s ancestorshave left behind, Chinese President Xi Jinping told U.S. Defense SecretaryJim Mattis on Wednesday.*

Mattis, a former Marine general, has been highly critical of China’smuscular military moves in the disputed South China Sea. The U.S. militaryeven withdrew an invitation to China to join a multinational naval exercisethat will start during Mattis’ visit, upsetting Beijing.

Mattis is visiting against a backdrop of spiraling tension between Beijingand Washington over trade.

Beijing is also deeply suspicious of U.S. intentions toward self-governingand democratic Taiwan, which is armed by the United States. China views theisland as a sacred part of its territory.

Meeting in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People, Xi told Mattis Xi that Chinahad only peaceful intentions and would not “cause chaos”, state televisionreported.

Both countries’ common interests far outweigh their differences, but onterritorial issues there can be no concessions, Xi added, without referringto specific areas.

“We cannot loose even one inch of the territory left behind by ourancestors. What is other people’s, we do not want at all,” state televisioncited Xi as saying.

Mattis, in comments in front of reporters, told Xi his talks had been“very, very” good.

“I am happy to be in China and we are assigning the same high degree ofimportance to the military to military relationship,” Mattis said.

Meeting earlier in the day, China’s defense minister told Mattis that onlywith mutual respect and by avoiding confrontation can China and the UnitedStates develop together.

“China upholds peaceful development, and China’s military unswervinglyprotects the country’s sovereignty, security and development interests,”Chinese Defence Minister Wei Fenghe said, according to his ministry.

“China and the United States can only develop together if we maintain noconflict, no confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation,” Weiadded.

“China and the United States two militaries must implement the consensus ofthe two countries’ leaders, increase mutual trust, strengthen cooperationand manage risks to turn ties between the two militaries into a factor forstability in the bilateral relationship.”

Mattis, the first Pentagon chief to visit China since 2014, told Wei heexpected all of his conversations in Beijing would be characterized by an“open and honest” dialogue, like the one he had with Wei.

“The military-to-military relationship is critical to the broaderrelationship between our two countries,” Mattis added, in comments also infront of reporters.

Mattis invited Wei to visit him at the Pentagon.Wei was similarly upbeat inhis public remarks.

“Your visit to China this time is … a new positive factor to themilitary-to-military and state-to-state relationship,” said Wei, who onlyassumed his position in March.