America's top military officer will conclude his high-profile visit to China Wednesday with a trip to a naval base.

Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, visited two army bases on China's east coast on Tuesday .

China's official Xinhua news agency says he will continue visiting military units on Wednesday, making his first visit to a Chinese naval base and submarine unit .

Mullen's tour, which is aimed at improving military cooperation with China, included a day of intense diplomacy in Beijing on Monday. While there, Mullen discussed measures to deepen mutual trust with Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping. Xi hailed what are widely seen as improving Sino-U.S. ties, saying they represent one of the world's most important bilateral relationships.

Also Monday, Mullen met China's military chief, General Chen Bingde, who criticized the timing of U.S. naval exercises in the South China Sea and surveillance flights off its shores.

Mullen responded that the United States has been staging drills with its friends and allies in the region for decades and will continue to do so. He said the United States will also continue the surveillance flights, which are within “international norms.”

After finishing his China tour on Wednesday, Mullen will continue on to South Korea and Japan. In South Korea, he will attend the inauguration of General James Thurman as the new commander of U.S. forces in the country.