US and Chinese officials hold Pentagon meeting to discuss relations
US and Chinese officials convened at the Pentagon to engage in talks on US-PRC relations, military communication, and operational safety in the Indo-Pacific region The meeting aimed to foster stronger ties and ensure stability in the crucial area
Officials from the United States and China convened at the Pentagon on Monday and Tuesday to address their bilateral relations, as announced in a news release by the Pentagon on Tuesday. Among the topics discussed were military communication and the importance of operational safety in the Indo-Pacific region.
The meeting involved discussions between Dr. Michael Chase, the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for China, and Maj. Gen. Song Yanchao, the Deputy Director of the Central Military Commission Office for International Military Cooperation in China. This meeting marks the resumption of talks after a two-year hiatus imposed by China. These discussions have been ongoing since 2005, with the last in-person meeting taking place in January 2020 in Beijing.
"The PRC cancelled them in 2022 after then-Speaker Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, but we would typically expect these to be annual talks at this level," said a senior defense official before the calls last week. The Pentagon's release on Tuesday stated that Chase reaffirmed the US's pledge to operate safely and responsibly within international law, as well as maintaining an unwavering commitment to allies in the Indo-Pacific and worldwide. Additionally, Chase reiterated the US commitment to the "One China" policy.
During the recent meeting, the defense official announced plans for military exchanges between the two sides for the remainder of the year, including potential talks between Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and new Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun. The official acknowledged the long-standing issue of the PRC's reluctance to engage reliably during times of crisis, emphasizing the importance of crisis communications and management, a topic that has been previously discussed and is likely to continue in the future.
This week's discussions come after a meeting in November between China's Ji Xinping and President Joe Biden, which Biden described as "some of the most constructive and productive discussions we've had." The Pentagon announced on Tuesday that it will continue to actively engage in discussions with Chinese counterparts about future engagements between defense and military officials at various levels.
