The U.S. and China aim to set up a telephone hot line between their militaries within a month after an agreement signed Feb. 29, the U.S. defense department said. The deal was signed in Shanghai alongside a deal giving the U.S. access to China’s military archives to search for missing servicemen from the Korean War and other conflicts, the official said. “We welcome this important step forward in enhancing communication between our militaries,” according to a U.S. defense department statement. “The (hot line) will be a useful tool to make contact quickly, clarify issues and avoid miscalculations.” It added that the agreement allowed the two sides to move forward on installing the equipment over the next few weeks, meaning the hot line would probably become operational within a month.