Beijing says US, China to pursue military crisis-communication pact

The United States and China have reached an agreement to establish a military crisis-communication pact, according to China. This pact, outlined by Beijing, could provide a mechanism for managing dangerous military encounters across the Indo-Pacific region. China's Foreign Ministry stated that the two militaries have agreed to draft a memorandum of understanding on "crisis communication and prevention" as soon as possible.

However, the details of the proposed memorandum, such as whether it would create a new hotline or define triggering incidents, remain unclear. Previous attempts at improved military contact have been disrupted by political disputes, and formal communication mechanisms have not always facilitated timely exchanges during crises. The announcement of this potential agreement came separately from the White House's summary of the summit, which focused on other topics like trade and artificial intelligence.

The US military has previously emphasized the importance of communication in reducing the risk of miscalculation and ensuring safe, professional conduct by forces. The confirmation of this pact remains unconfirmed by the Pentagon and the US Indo-Pacific Command as of Saturday.