Pentagon Delegation Concludes Military Talks With China

By Joseph Clark

A Defense Department delegation concluded the latest round of military-to-military talks with Chinese counterparts over the weekend, as U.S. officials continue to emphasize the importance of maintaining open lines of communication for responsibly managing competition. 

Michael S. Chase, deputy assistant secretary of defense for China, Taiwan and Mongolia, led the U.S. delegation to Beijing for the 18th iteration of the Defense Policy Coordination Talks between the U.S. and China.

The two sides discussed a range of regional and global security issues as part of the exchange, including U.S. concerns over China's support for Russia's defense industrial base and the impact that support is having on European and transatlantic security.

"DOD also reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to defending its Indo-Pacific allies, and the department emphasized the importance of respect for freedom of navigation as guaranteed under international law in light of ongoing aggressive PRC [People's Republic of China] harassment against lawfully operating Philippine vessels in the South China Sea," a senior official said Sunday at the conclusion of the talks.

The U.S. delegation also underscored the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, raised concerns about ongoing provocations from North Korea, and urged China to encourage stability and de-escalation in the Middle East.  

The talks mark a continuation of U.S. efforts to maintain the recently reestablished open lines of communication with China.

President Joe Biden secured China's agreement to return to military-to-military talks last November after meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Woodside, California.

In January, senior U.S. and Chinese military officials resumed the U.S.-China Defense Policy Coordination Talks at the Pentagon. Prior to that, the high-level talks were last held in September 2021. 

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III emphasized the importance of maintaining open lines of military-to-military communication at multiple levels during his first meeting with Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun on the margins of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore in May. 

Last week, the commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Navy Adm. Samuel Paparo held a video teleconference with China's Gen. Wu Yanan, commander of the military's southern theater. During the call, Paparo noted the necessity of continued military-to-military dialogue.

Following the latest talks in Beijing, officials emphasized that the military-to-military dialogue does not signal a change in the U.S. approach to China.

"The department continues to view [China] as our pacing challenge as described in the National Defense Strategy," the senior official said. "[China] continues to be the only U.S. competitor with the intent and, increasingly, the capability to overturn the rules-based infrastructure that has kept peace in the Indo-Pacific since the end of the Second World War."

The official added that the U.S. "remains clear-eyed about [China's] intentions and their actions in the region and around the world."