Top Military Officials from US, China Conduct Virtual Meeting

The Pentagon announced that the top US military officer engaged in a virtual meeting with his Chinese counterpart on Thursday, marking the first such conversation in over a year. This development is seen as a positive step, raising hopes for a broader restoration of ties between the two militaries. The video teleconference took place following an agreement between US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping to resume military-to-military ties, which were severed by Beijing after a visit to self-ruled Taiwan by then-House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi in August 2022.

During the virtual meeting, US Air Force General Charles Q. Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and General Liu Zhenli of China’s People’s Liberation Army discussed “a number of global and regional security issues,” according to Brown’s office. General Liu serves as the chief of the Joint Staff Department of the Central Military Commission, the military body responsible for China’s combat operations and planning.

Pentagon officials emphasize that communication between the two militaries is crucial to preventing miscalculations that could escalate into conflict. Brown’s office stated, “Gen. Brown discussed the importance of working together to responsibly manage competition, avoid miscalculations, and maintain open and direct lines of communication.”