US and China conclude two days of military talks in Washington

On Tuesday, the United States and China concluded two days of military talks in Washington, representing the latest attempt to rebuild military-to-military relations between the two nations. The dialogue comes amid ongoing disputes ranging from the status of Taiwan to territorial claims in the South China Sea. Relations had strained further after the U.S. downed a suspected Chinese spy balloon in February, contributing to the rupture of military ties that China severed following a visit to Taiwan by then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in August 2022.

Initiated by a late-year agreement between U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping to resume military engagements, the 17th round of talks involved Michael Chase, the deputy assistant secretary of defence for China, Taiwan, and Mongolia, and China's Major General Song Yanchao, deputy director of the Central Military Commission Office for International Military Cooperation.

The Pentagon stressed the importance of sustaining open lines of military communication to prevent potential conflicts arising from competition, emphasizing the significance of dialogue in averting miscalculations. General Charles Q. Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, previously engaged in a virtual meeting with his Chinese counterpart, General Liu Zhenli.

China expressed its willingness to cultivate healthy and stable military-to-military relations based on equality and respect. The Chinese defence ministry urged the U.S. to reduce military deployments and provocative actions in the South China Sea, advocating for adherence to the one-China principle and ceasing armament support for Taiwan.

As Taiwan faces presidential and parliamentary elections this weekend, tensions between Taiwan and China have escalated. U.S. officials caution that despite the restoration of some military communication, achieving truly functional dialogue may require time. The Chinese defence ministry underscored the need for the U.S. to understand the root causes of maritime and air security issues, exercise restraint, and refrain from hyping up these matters.

अमेरिका और चीन के बीच वाशिंगटन में दो दिवसीय सैन्य वार्ता समाप्त हुई