US, China Defense Chiefs Hold First Talks in 18 Months

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Facts

• US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin held a video call with China's National Defense Minister Dong Jun on Tuesday, marking the first direct conversation between both countries' defense chiefs in almost 18 months.¹
• The two discussed bilateral defense ties and regional and global security issues, with Austin stressing the importance of expanding 'military-to-military communication,' according to the Pentagon.²
• Austin reportedly emphasized the need to respect 'freedom of navigation,' particularly in the South China Sea, and also addressed the Russian invasion of Ukraine and what he described as North Korea's latest provocations.³
• Dong called for building mutual trust by gradually expanding military ties, according to the Chinese Ministry of Defense. He also stressed that the Taiwan issue is central to China's 'core interests' and that Beijing's maritime 'territorial sovereignty' must be respected.⁴
• The video call marks the first time Austin held talks with any Chinese counterpart since Nov. 2022. In April, the US and Chinese militaries held talks on operational security in the air and at sea in Hawaii for the first time since 2021.⁵
• Following the talks, the US Navy on Wednesday flew P-8A Poseidon reconnaissance aircraft over 'the Taiwan Strait in international airspace,' according to the Navy's 7th Fleet. China said it scrambled its own fighter jets to 'monitor the US plane's passage.'⁶

Sources: ¹Al Jazeera, ²The Japan Times, ³CNN, ⁴Dw.Com, ⁵Kyodo News+ and ⁶NBC.

Narratives

• Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by Daily Caller. The talks between the defense chiefs underline the US desire to put bilateral military ties back on a solid footing. This is especially necessary as the risk of unintended escalation increased due to Beijing's hostile intercepts of US aircraft and threats to Taiwan and other regional US allies. The US will continue to operate safely and responsibly where international law permits, and as mutual trust improves further, Beijing will realize that competition must not end in conflict.
• Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by Globaltimes. China welcomes the Austin-Dong talks, as building trust and defense ties is crucial for developing stable relations and preventing major crises. However, to avoid jeopardizing the encouraging progress, the US should refrain from playing a double game and take practical steps to maintain regional peace and stability. Beijing rejects any zero-sum logic, and peaceful coexistence is possible as long as China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights are respected.

Predictions