WASHINGTON: The United States (US) Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with his Chinese counterpart Dong Jun via video teleconference Tuesday, the Pentagon said, in the first substantive talks between the superpowers’ defense chiefs in nearly 18 months.
The United States has been working to strengthen defense cooperation with its allies in the Asia-Pacific region to counter China’s growing influence, but also wants to maintain lines of communication with Beijing to prevent tensions from spiraling out of control.
According to a statement from the Pentagon, Secretary Austin and Dong discussed various aspects of US-China defense relations, as well as regional and global security concerns. Emphasizing the importance of maintaining military-to-military communication channels, Secretary Austin reiterated the commitment of the United States to operate in accordance with international law, including the freedom of navigation principles, particularly in the South China Sea.
The last significant interaction between Secretary Austin and a Chinese counterpart occurred in November 2022 during a meeting with Wei Fenghe in Cambodia.
The talks between the US and China come against the backdrop of various contentious issues, including territorial disputes in the South China Sea, and incidents involving unsafe maneuvers by Chinese military assets around American forces. Despite these challenges, both sides have emphasized the importance of military-to-military communications in preventing potential conflicts.
The Pentagon affirmed that discussions regarding future engagements between senior defense and military leaders from both countries are ongoing.
