US military commanders in the Indo-Pacific region will hold talks with representatives of China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in the coming weeks to avoid any misunderstandings between the two militaries that could lead to conflict, US Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns said, Voice of America reports.* (foreign media, recognized in the Russian Federation as a foreign agent).
The statement came after a visit to Beijing in August by the White House national security adviser. Jake Sullivanwho met with the Chinese leader’s top military adviser.
During the meeting, the parties agreed that representatives of the US military command in the Indo-Pacific region will meet with their PLA colleagues in the near future.
Burns said Washington is seeking to establish closer lines of communication between the two countries’ militaries after relations soured last year when the United States shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon.
“Even during the balloon incident, China refused to talk to our top military leaders, so we’ve made some progress now,” Burns said.
The diplomat expressed hope that this conversation would be followed by high-level contacts, including the participation of the head of the Pentagon. Lloyd Austin and his Chinese counterpart, as well as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Carlos Brown.
“We must be able to maintain contacts so that in the event of an incident or misunderstanding, the military leaders of our countries can meet to reduce tensions. […] and make sure we have a rational way to solve the problem,” Burns added.
He added that Washington was concerned about the “aggressive nature” of China’s military buildup and the “aggressive and intimidating behavior” of the Chinese navy toward the Philippines and Japan, both US allies.
“That is why we want the Chinese government to commit to ensuring that, in the event of an incident, our commandos will be able to communicate with each other instantly,” he concluded.
*An organization that performs the functions of a foreign agent.
