diplomacy
Biden: USA and China resume military communication
US President Joe Biden (r) and China’s head of state Xi Jingping met for talks in San Francisco. photo
© Doug Mills/Pool The New York Times/AP/dpa
The exchange between Washington and Beijing has not been particularly good in recent months. The Americans were particularly concerned about the lack of contact with the Chinese military.
After a long period of radio silence, the USA and China want to resume communication between the armed forces of both countries. US President Joe Biden announced this after a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jingping in Woodside, south of San Francisco. The step is of “critical importance,” Biden said. Without communication, accidents and misunderstandings could occur.
According to the accompanying press from the White House, it is now planned, among other things, that US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will meet his Chinese colleague. There should also be operational discussions between high-ranking military leaders from both countries. The US commander of the Pacific Air Forces will also take part, it said. Shipmasters should also exchange ideas with each other.
Misunderstandings and miscalculations
The US government has complained several times in recent months that the usual direct military communication with China is not working and that this could lead to dangerous misunderstandings and miscalculations. For example, Beijing had turned down requests for talks at the defense minister level.
Washington had repeatedly warned that communication between the militaries of both countries was crucial to the responsible management of relations. The Chinese have essentially cut off these communication links, which poses dangers.
Approaching on different levels
In preparation for the meeting between Biden and Xi, both countries had recently tried to achieve rapprochement at various levels, including through various meetings of high-ranking American and Chinese government members. The two sides also came closer again on a military level at the Xiangshan Forum at the end of October.
After months of radio silence, a US delegation traveled to Beijing for the security dialogue, which is effectively a Chinese edition of the Munich Security Conference for the Asia-Pacific region. China’s second-highest military commander appeared open to speaking to the US side again.
Tensions in the Indo-Pacific
This is also important given tensions in the Indo-Pacific. The issue of Taiwan, for example, holds great potential for conflict between the USA and China. The island republic, which is only separated from China by a strait, has had a democratic government for decades. However, China sees the country with more than 23 million inhabitants as part of its territory.
The area is often the scene of military demonstrations of power. There are concerns that China could invade Taiwan like Russia invaded Ukraine. Biden had promised Taiwan military support from US troops in such an event. In the past, Beijing has always forbidden any “interference” by the USA in internal affairs. This fueled fears that the world could be facing the next major international conflict.