Chinese military officials visit Pentagon for first time in 4 years
Washington and Beijing reengage in military to military talks after long, tense delay
By Paul McLeary
01/09/2024 05:47 PM EST
Top U.S. and Chinese defense officials met face-to-face at the Pentagon Monday and Tuesday for the first time since January 2020, a renewal of what had been a yearly meeting to discuss operations and other military-to-military contacts.
The meeting comes amid a slight thaw in relations between Washington and Beijing, which had seen months go by without any contacts between military or political leaders, heightening fears of a confrontation between the two military and economic powerhouses.
The talks were led by the Pentagon’s Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for China Michael Chase and Maj. Gen. Song Yanchao, deputy director of China’s Central Military Commission’s office for international military cooperation.
During the two days of talks the two sides discussed defense relations and the U.S. side “highlighted the importance of maintaining open lines of military-to-military communication,” according to a readout provided by DOD spokesperson Lt. Col. Martin Meiners.
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https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/09/chinese-military-officials-visit-pentagon-for-first-time-in-four-years-00134622
