U.S. and China Work to Reactivate Military Channels Amid Taiwan Strait Tensions

The United States and China continue to coordinate to reactivate their military dialogue channel.

According to reports by Yonhap News and Reuters on the 14th, the two countries are negotiating for high-level military contacts next year. This is followed by the U.S. Department of Defense’s proposal to China to improve military relations.

This appears to align with the agreement reached by U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping to restore military communication channels to prevent armed conflicts during their summit in San Francisco on the 15th of last month. Experts are watching how quickly the two countries can coordinate details for a high-level meeting. Some predict that the process may take longer as no successor has been appointed following the dismissal of former Chinese Minister of National Defense Liang Guanglie in October.

The U.S. is reportedly hoping to reactivate the communication channel known as the Military Maritime Consultative Agreement. This reduces the possibility of a military control failure between the two countries in disputed maritime areas. There have been instances of a standoff between U.S. reconnaissance aircraft and Chinese fighter jets in the airspace over the South China Sea, where China claims sovereignty. The U.S. and its allies are in a situation of heightened military tension as they try to contain China.

Additionally, the situation in the Taiwan Strait remains a point of concern. The U.S. 7th Fleet Command reported on the 6th that a P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft conducted a flight over the Taiwan Strait. They affirmed that such operations, carried out in compliance with international law, underscore the United States’ commitment to upholding the rights and freedoms of all nations. In response, the Chinese military’s Eastern Theater Command dispatched fighter jets. China claims that the ‘international waters’ mentioned by the U.S. do not exist under international law.  

By. Ga Rim Kwon