US, Chinese defence chiefs talk for first time in more than 2 years

The video call between Lloyd Austin and Dong Jun, who was appointed defence minister in December, is the latest sign of a thaw in US-China relations
Austin ‘underscored the importance of respect for high seas freedom of navigation guaranteed under international law, especially in the South China Sea’

US-China relations

Mark Magnierin New York

Published: 11:45pm, 16 Apr 2024

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After an extended chill between the two militaries, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with China’s defence minister, Admiral Dong Jun, on Tuesday, the first such communication with his Chinese counterpart in over two years and the first time since Dong was appointed in December.

The contact follows a protracted period of tension, diplomatic snubs, rhetoric and near misses in the South China Sea between the two militaries.

Dong and Austin discussed US-China “defence relations and regional and global security issues” during their video call, a Pentagon spokesman said. “Secretary Austin also emphasised the importance of respect for high seas freedom of navigation guaranteed under international law, especially in the South China Sea.”

The two also discussed Russia’s war against Ukraine, recent provocations by North Korea, US-Chinese defence relations and global security issues, the Pentagon said.

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Chinese floating barrier blocks entrance to Philippine ships at South China Sea flashpoint

Austin also “reiterated that the United States remains committed to our long-standing one China policy, which is guided by the Taiwan Relations Act,” the spokesman said, “and he reaffirmed the importance of peace and stability across the strait.”

The return of military-to-military contact is the latest in a series of improved contacts between the US and China since the summit between President Joe Biden and President Xi Jinping in November in California followed, two weeks ago, by a phone call.

The Pentagon spokesman cited the importance of open lines of communication between the two militaries and reaffirmed the decision at last year’s summit that both sides resume telephone conversations between theatre commanders.

“He also reiterated that the United States will continue to fly, sail and operate – safely and responsibly – wherever international law allows,” the Pentagon said, adding that Austin “underscored the importance of respect for high seas freedom of navigation guaranteed under international law, especially in the South China Sea”.

Philippines, US, Japan to boost cooperation to deter Beijing in South China Sea

The communication took place after recent trips to Beijing by US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to travel there soon after his recent meeting with Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Germany.

Tuesday’s call was the latest step in a measured warming in relations between the Pentagon and the People’s Liberation Army following lower-level contact. Working-level Military Maritime Consultative Agreement talks were held in Honolulu earlier this month, and the 17th US-China Defence Policy Coordination talks took place in January in Washington.

The last formal interaction between senior defence officials, however, was in November 2022, when Austin met then defence minister Wei Fenghe in Cambodia.

That meeting occurred after China froze high-level military contacts over then House speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, which Beijing viewed as a breach of its sovereignty. Pelosi was the highest-level US official to visit the self-governed island in a quarter century.

Admiral Dong Jun was appointed China’s defence minister in December. Photo: PLA Navy

Subsequently, Wen’s successor Li Shangfu was abruptly dismissed just months after taking the job – and soon after rejecting a US proposal to meet with Austin at the Shangri-La Dialogue Security Forum in Singapore – for reasons that were never explained.

US analysts say there has been an easing of “unsafe behaviour” by Chinese pilots near US and allied aircraft in recent months, but more concerning maritime actions in disputed waters around the Philippines have occurred recently.

On March 5, the Chinese coastguard and Chinese maritime militia collided with the Philippine coastguard. And on March 23, Chinese water cannons damaged a Philippine supply vessel and injured some of its crew.

Last week, the US, Japan and the Philippines showcased support for Manila at a trilateral summit in Washington.

The Chinese embassy in Washington said on Tuesday that the Philippines had repeatedly infringed on China’s territory and made “provocations”, adding that the trilateral meetings were not constructive.

Beijing agrees to South China Sea hotline with Vietnam as Manila tensions spike

“Certain countries keep seeking backing from non-regional countries as they infringe on China’s sovereignty and rights and make provocations at sea,” the embassy said. “What they have done has escalated the tensions. We resolutely oppose non-regional countries meddling and sowing discord to escalate the situation.”

The State Department on Tuesday said the US was disquieted by the growing volume of materials moving from China to Russia in recent months that Moscow has used to rebuild its industrial base and make weapons that are showing up on the battlefield in Ukraine.

“We are incredibly concerned about that,” said spokesman Matthew Miller, adding that Blinken would discuss it at a Group of 7 foreign ministers’ meeting later this week and during a planned trip to Beijing in coming weeks. “You can certainly expect that that is an issue that he would be expected to raise.”

The Pentagon spokesman declined to elaborate on whether Austin and Dong discussed recent near-misses between US and Chinese military aircraft in the Indo-Pacific, maritime tensions in the waters around the Philippines, an apparent surge in Chinese assistance to Russia or whether Iran used North Korean missiles during Sunday’s attack on Israel.

Analysts said the news was welcome, if not completely unexpected.

US must treat China more like a cold-war opponent: Republican policymakers

“Unsafe encounters are down, and I fully expect an in-person meeting between the two heads on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue later this summer,” said Sourabh Gupta, senior fellow at the Institute for China-America Studies in Washington, adding that this was also probably discussed on Tuesday.

“In a year of election polemics, I suspect the Chinese side would like to keep communications channels open and the conversation going,” he added. “And with a new Taiwanese president soon to be sworn in, the US would prefer less than more drama in the strait. The South China Sea is already lit up enough.”

Others said it would be difficult for the two sides to move beyond the usual platitudes given protracted tensions.

“I think it is good that the lines of communication are finally reopening after a long period,” said Zack Cooper of the American Enterprise Institute, a Washington-based think tank.

“There is a lot for the two sides to talk about, particularly China’s actions in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait, both of which could be volatile in the next few months,” Cooper added.

Additional reporting by Igor Patrick in Washington