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Hegseth, Pete

US and China Establish Military-to-Military Channels to Deconflict and Deescalate Tensions

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

In a bid to reduce tensions, the US and China have agreed to establish military-to-military channels to deconflict and deescalate any problems that may arise. This move comes on the heels of a historic meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, where the two leaders took steps to lower the temperature. The US defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, met with his Chinese counterpart, Minister of National Defence Dong Jun, and agreed to set up these channels, which experts have long advocated for. The move is seen as a positive step towards reducing the risk of escalation in the Asia Pacific region.

Key Takeaways:

  • The US and China have agreed to establish military-to-military channels to deconflict and deescalate any problems that may arise.
  • The channels will be used to avoid unintentional escalation and maintain peace and stability in the Asia Pacific region.
  • The US and China have a history of limited communications, with most of the over 90 channels going dormant during Trump's first term as US president.
  • The US and China have experienced several close encounters in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait, including a Chinese fighter jet crossing in front of a US surveillance flight in May 2023.
  • The US and China have no crisis management channels, increasing the risk of escalation.
  • The US has eased the tariff rate on Chinese goods from 57 percent to 47 percent, and China has agreed to keep the supply of rare earth metals flowing.
  • The US and China have not agreed on the sale of TikTok to US investors or on possible plans to sell Nvidia's advanced semiconductor chips.
  • US defence secretary Pete Hegseth met with Chinese defence minister Dong Jun on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Malaysia.
  • The Chinese Ministry of National Defence has stated that China prioritizes peaceful development while resolutely safeguarding its national security interests.

Statistics:

  • Over 90 communications channels between the US and Chinese governments exist, but most went dormant during Trump's first term as US president.
  • The US and China have experienced several close encounters in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait, including a Chinese fighter jet crossing in front of a US surveillance flight in May 2023.
  • The US has eased the tariff rate on Chinese goods from 57 percent to 47 percent.
  • The US and China have no crisis management channels, increasing the risk of escalation.
  • Rare earth metals supply: China has agreed to keep the supply flowing.

Sources:

  • Al Jazeera, "In Trump-Xi summit a shifting US-China power dynamic on display"
  • Al Jazeera, "Provocative, dangerous: China blames US for air confrontation"
  • Al Jazeera, "Taiwan, South China Sea dominate meeting of US-China defence chiefs"
  • Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), "Limited Communications Between US and China Since Trump's Return to Office"

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