Trump’s war secretary Hegseth and Pacific Command chief Paparo may ‘soon visit China’

Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth and US Pacific Command head Admiral Samuel Paparo may visit China "soon", according to Stephen Orlins, president of the National Committee on United States-China Relations (NCUSCR). Orlins made the disclosure during a video address at a conference in Sanya, southern China's Hainan province. The visit would be crucial for regularising military-to-military communication between Beijing and Washington, according to Orlins, who warned that the South China Sea rather than Taiwan is the most likely flashpoint for an accidental military clash between the two powers.

Orlins called for regular military-to-military contact to prevent mistakes and facilitate immediate de-escalation discussions. The Pentagon and US Pacific Command have not confirmed the visit, which comes amid mounting calls for Hegseth to resign or face impeachment proceedings following the Republican Party's midterm drubbing driven by public outrage over the Iran war and fuel price hikes. The visit would be the first by a US Pacific Command chief to China since 2015.