US Urges Swift Restoration of Military Communications with China

The US and China have yet to resume communication between their military forces, as agreed upon by US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping during their summit in San Francisco. The White House is keen to expedite the restoration of military communication channels to reduce tensions.

John Kirby, a spokesperson for the National Security Council, told reporters aboard Air Force One that such negotiations would decrease the number of miscalculations and misunderstandings. At the same time, Kirby noted that the delay might be due to China not yet designating a successor to General Li Shangfu, who was removed from the position of Minister of Defense in October. Li was a counterpart to Pentagon Chief Lloyd Austin in negotiations.

According to Kirby, the Biden administration hopes that interactions between the armed forces of both countries will be comprehensive and include discussions not only with high-level leadership but also with commanders in specific geographical regions where conflicts are occurring. Over the past year, US and Chinese military forces have encountered several dangerous situations in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea.

In their November summit, President Biden and President Xi agreed to restart military communications, which had been interrupted following the visit of then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan in August 2022. China considers the democratically governed Taiwan to be part of its territory.

On Friday, Taiwan announced that 12 Chinese fighter jets crossed the median line, raising tensions in the lead-up to Taiwan's presidential elections, scheduled for January 13. The White House plans to closely monitor the developments.