The U.S. military said in a statement Friday that U.S. and Chinese military representatives met in Hawaii for the first time in two years to discuss high seas and air security in the wake of China’s dangerous military exercises.
A delegation of U.S. Navy and Air Force officials under the jurisdiction of China’s People’s Liberation Army and Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) met on Wednesday and Thursday to discuss what the U.S. had warned could be a dangerous and unprofessional move that could cause injury or escalation. We talked about the repeated behavior. according to to the statement. It was the second direct military-to-military contact between the U.S. and China since Beijing abruptly ended hostilities in August 2022, increasing tensions between the rival nations.
“The Military Maritime Consultative Agreement Working Group is USINDOPACOM’s primary vehicle for direct consultation with the People’s Liberation Army on the safety of air and maritime operations,” said Army Col. Ian Francis, who led the U.S. delegation to the talks. said in a statement. “The United States intends to continue operating safely and professionally in the Indo-Pacific region to the extent international law allows, and we take this responsibility seriously.” (Related: While eyeing the Middle East, the US Navy keeps an eye on China near Taiwan)
“Open, direct and clear communication with the People’s Liberation Army and with all other military forces in the region is paramount to avoid accidents and miscommunications,” Francisco said.
President Joe Biden announced the resumption of military talks with China in November after a direct meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping and signaled the strengthening of communication channels between the U.S. and Chinese defense and military establishments.
Biden spoke again with Xi on Tuesday on topics including military communications and risks related to Taiwan and artificial intelligence.
The Pentagon said China’s repeated aggressive air intercepts against U.S. military aircraft, as well as threats against Taiwan and U.S. allies in the region, have increased the likelihood of accidental escalation, including an increase in military-to-military communications. warns of the risk of long-term disruption.
Francis said the military “looks forward to future fruitful discussions to protect the security of military operators in the region.”
171117-N-WY954-027 Pearl Harbor (November 17, 2017) People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Vice Chief of Naval Staff Rear Adm. Wang Dazhung and his staff participate in a tour of the guided missile destroyer USS William P. Lawrence (DDG 110) by Ens. Sarah Cox. (U.S. Navy photo: Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Robin Peek/Released)
In January, Dr. Michael Chase, the assistant secretary of defense for China, Taiwan, and Mongolia, met with Maj. Gen. Song Yanchao, deputy director of the Central Military Commission’s Office of International Military Cooperation, for formal talks on U.S.-China relations. and global security, according to In a reading of the talks provided by the Department of Defense.
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. CQ Brown Jr., and his counterpart in Beijing, Gen. Liu Zhenli, also spoke via videoconference on a variety of “global and regional security issues,” the Joint Chiefs of Staff said. Said In a statement in December.
According to the Department of Defense’s annual China Military Power Report, Chinese leaders have been increasing the number of U.S. military forces since China ended military contacts in retaliation for former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan in August 2022. frequently interfered with attempts to communicate with released During October.
The Pentagon has documented a sharp increase in “dangerous” actions taken by Chinese aircraft near U.S. aircraft in the East and South China Sea regions since fall 2021, which could lead to accidents or miscalculations. The lives of American and Chinese crew members may be at risk.
Experts have previously expressed doubts about whether new high-level military involvement would lead to fewer dangerous interactions.
All content produced by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent, nonpartisan news distribution service, is available free of charge to legitimate news publishers with large audiences. All republished articles must include our logo, reporter byline, and DCNF affiliation. If you have any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact us at licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.
