US and China: The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, US Air Force General Charles Q Brown, and General Liu Zhenli of China’s People’s Liberation Army discussed “several global and regional security issues” during the virtual meeting.
According to the Pentagon, the top US military officer held a virtual meeting with his Chinese counterpart on Thursday, the first such conversation in over a year, with US officials hoping that it will lead to a broader restoration of ties between the two militaries.
The video teleconference followed an agreement last month between US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping to restore military-to-military ties severed by Beijing after then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited self-ruled Taiwan in August 2022.
US Air Force General Charles Q Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Chinese People’s Liberation Army General Liu Zhenli discussed “several global and regional security issues,” according to Brown’s office.
Liu is the chief of the Central Military Commission’s (CMC) Joint Staff Department, the military body in charge of China’s combat operations and planning.
According to Pentagon officials, communication between the two militaries is critical in preventing a miscalculation from escalating into conflict.
General Brown emphasized the significance of collaborative efforts in responsibly handling competition, preventing miscalculations, and upholding open and direct communication channels, according to a statement from Brown’s office.
US and China military officials hold first talks in over a year.
The statement highlighted General Brown’s reaffirmation of the necessity for the People’s Liberation Army to partake in meaningful discussions, aiming to diminish the chances of misunderstandings.
According to Brown, he expressed his willingness to meet with Liu in an introductory letter he sent last month.
According to a late-night statement from the Chinese defense ministry, Liu stated that the US needs to have a “correct understanding of China for the US and China to have a robust, stable, and long-lasting military-to-military relationship.
US officials have issued a warning, stating that it may take some time for the two sides to establish a truly functional dialogue, even after some military communications have been restored.
According to some analysts, China aims for ambiguity in defense relations to restrain what it perceives as military provocations by the US in the area.
Ratnavali