Top US, Chinese military brass hold first call to stabilise ties

On September 10, the United States and China held their first theatre-level commander talks, aiming to stabilise military relations and avoid misunderstandings. 

The talks come as Washington seeks to establish regular communication channels with Beijing following a historic low in ties, triggered by the downing of a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon last year.

Admiral Sam Paparo, head of the US Indo-Pacific Command, and Wu Yanan of the Southern Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) held a video call, which both sides described as a "constructive and respectful" exchange, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

Paparo urged the PLA to reconsider its use of risky and potentially provocative tactics in the South China Sea and other areas. He highlighted the need for ongoing dialogue to prevent misinterpretations and miscalculations.

The call was a follow-up to a meeting in Beijing last month between US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and a senior military adviser to Chinese leader Xi Jinping. 

This recent development comes after nearly two years of suspended military engagements, which were impacted by Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan in August 2022. The United States is also set to send a senior Pentagon official to a major security forum in China later this week.

Recently, the US imposed sanctions on 42 Chinese companies, accusing them of supporting Russia's military-industrial complex. In response, Beijing condemned these "illegal and unilateral sanctions" against countries that maintain balanced trade and economic ties with Russia, claiming they serve the "selfish interests" of China’s adversaries.

Regarding the outcomes of Jake Sullivan's talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, the scant information available indicates that the parties agreed to hold a video call between the commanders responsible for hot spots in the Indo-Pacific region at a "suitable time." This, according to Washington, could help prevent conflict, particularly in the Taiwan Strait. Wang Yi, on the other hand, expressed dissatisfaction with the ties between Washington and Taiwan, as well as the White House's "export controls" targeting Chinese semiconductor manufacturers.

Thus, Green's message, it should be noted, did not arise in a vacuum but continues the confrontational stance of the American administration aimed at escalating tensions in the Taiwan Strait. This is further underscored by the visit of an "unofficial" US delegation to Taiwan in May 2024, which attended the "inauguration" ceremony of Lai Ching-te. 

Lai expressed hope for continued "comprehensive cooperation in security, trade, and technological fields" between Taiwan and the US, aiming to elevate the "rock-solid Taiwan-US partnership to an even higher level."