China, US defence officials agree to improve ‘communication’ to reduce risks

Defense officials from the United States and China met in Washington for the inaugural session of a Crisis Communications and Prevention Working Group, which was established under an agreement reached in September. The Pentagon reported that both sides emphasized the need to "advance practical communication measures" to mitigate risks between the two nations.

During the November 2 and 3 meeting, Cynthia "Xanthi" Carras, a principal director from the US Department of War, and Senior Colonel Wang Wei, deputy director of the Americas and Oceania Affairs Bureau in the People's Liberation Army, engaged in discussions. They explored additional channels to enhance "effective" crisis management and ways to communicate "expediently and effectively."

The gathering marked the first occasion for military officials from the two countries since China and the US agreed to accelerate and finalize a memorandum of understanding on crisis communication and prevention on September 26. This development came in the aftermath of Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Washington for talks with US President Donald Trump.

Although China's foreign ministry disclosed the military pact separately from eight summit readouts covering various topics, it did not disclose further details about the new crisis management hotline. Beijing did not include senior military officials in Xi's September trip, and the delegation did not feature any other high-ranking military representatives.

The emphasis on crisis management implies that potential disputes over Taiwan would be the primary focus for the military communication channel between Beijing and Washington. The Taiwan Strait has witnessed heightened tensions, with China asserting its claim over Taiwan as an integral part of the mainland. Beijing considers Taiwan as a province that needs reunification, either peacefully or through military force if necessary.

Most countries, including the US, do not recognize Taiwan's sovereignty but oppose any form of forceful reunification, and Washington has pledged to support Taiwan's defense needs.

The two nations previously severed their hotline in August 2022 in protest of then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan. However, the hotline was restored in November 2023 following Xi's meeting with then-US President Joe Biden in San Francisco. Despite these efforts, actual communications on the hotline have been limited.

Efforts to establish military-to-military communication channels have continued under Trump's second term, including a face-to-face meeting between US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth and his Chinese counterpart Dong in October last year in Malaysia.