A top U.S. military official says America's growing military relationship with China is an important part of its security strategy in the Asia-Pacific Region.

Navy Admiral Mike Mullen, who is chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters at the Foreign Press Center in Washington Monday that the U.S. and Chinese militaries could work together to face challenges such as piracy, terrorism and disaster relief.

He said his recent visit to China and the visit by his Chinese counterpart, General Chen Bingde, to Washington in May made “a basis for ongoing dialogue” on such common challenges. But he acknowledged that the two sides need to improve the level of mutual trust.

Mullen noted that U.S. relationships with other allies in the region, including South Korea, Japan and Australia, also are vital. He also said that Washington will expand military security cooperation with other countries in the region.

The admiral visited China, Japan and South Korea earlier this month.

He commended South Korea's steadfast support for U.S. security efforts around the world, including in Afghanistan, and said Washington's commitment to South Korea's defense and to security on the Korean peninsula remains unwavering.

North Korea's first vice foreign minister and former chief nuclear envoy Kim Kye Gwan is due to visit New York this week for talks with senior U.S. officials on the possible resumption of stalled nuclear disarmament talks.

The United States, China, Russia, Japan and South Korea have been negotiating with the impoverished communist country to get it to dismantle its nuclear arms programs in exchange for food, energy and other aid. Pyongyang abandoned the six-party talks in 2009. Last year, hostilities between the two Koreas reached their highest level since the Korean War. But this year, North Korea has signaled that it wants to return to the negotiating table.