China's Ministry of National Defense announced on the 17th that Defense Minister Dong Jun had a video call with US Secretary of Defense Austin on the evening of the 16th. This is the first phone call between the Chinese and US defense ministers since November 2022, and the first communication and dialogue between the two defense ministers since the San Francisco summit between the Chinese and US presidents. Experts interviewed by the "Global Times" reporter believe that this can be regarded as a comprehensive resumption of communication between the Chinese and US militaries. However, it can be seen from the press releases of the two sides that the Chinese side is well aware of the careful thinking and small actions of the US side, and if Sino-US military relations are to be stable, far-reaching, deep, and practical, the key still depends on whether the US military can truly abide by the principle of Sino-US exchanges in action.
According to information released by China's Ministry of National Defense, Dong Jun said that the heads of state of China and the United States are committed to promoting the stability and improvement of bilateral relations. The military field is the key to ensuring the implementation of the consensus reached by the heads of state, stabilizing the development of relations between the two countries, and preventing the occurrence of major crises. The Chinese and US militaries should explore ways to get along, regard peace as the priority, stability as the priority, and trust as the basic principles of exchanges, and build a relationship between the two militaries that is free from conflict and non-confrontation, open and pragmatic cooperation, and gradually accumulate mutual trust on the basis of equality and respect, so as to truly serve as a stable cornerstone for the development of bilateral relations.
According to a press release released on the official website of the U.S. Department of Defense, the two defense ministers discussed the U.S.-China defense relationship and regional and global security issues during the call. Austin stressed the importance of keeping the U.S. and Chinese militaries open for communication channels.
An expert who studies Sino-US military relations told the Global Times on the 17th that the meeting between the Chinese and US defense ministers, as well as the previous work meeting of the Ministry of Defense and the holding of the 2024 Sino-US maritime military security consultation mechanism, indicate that communication between the Chinese and US militaries has been fully restored. At the same time, the Chinese side emphasized that "peace is precious, stability is the priority, and trust-based is the basic principle of exchanges" and "on the basis of equality and respect", which clearly stated the premise and requirements for communication between the Chinese and US militaries. ”
In order to implement the important consensus reached at the San Francisco Summit between the Chinese and US leaders, since the beginning of this year, the Chinese and US militaries have steadily resumed dialogue and consultation on the basis of equality and respect. On January 8 and 9, China and the United States held the 17th National Defense Department Working Meeting in Washington, D.C., during which the two sides had an in-depth exchange of views on promoting the development of military relations between the two countries and issues of concern such as Taiwan, the South China Sea, and maritime and air security. On April 3 and 4, after a two-year hiatus, the Chinese and US militaries held the 2024 China-US Maritime Military Security Consultation Mechanism Working Group Meeting in Hawaii, USA.
Pentagon officials said the phone call between the two defense ministers was an important step in the engagement between the two sides, but certainly not the last, and "I think there will be more this year."
Zhuo Hua, an expert on international issues at the School of International Relations of Beijing University of Foreign Chinese, said in an interview with the Global Times on the 17th that following the MMCA working group meeting held in early April, the defense ministers of the two militaries had a phone call in less than half a month, indicating that the Chinese and US militaries are making smooth progress in implementing the consensus of the San Francisco meeting between the Chinese and US heads of state. There is consensus on the exchange of regional and global security positions, which is of positive significance to the development of relations between the two militaries and regional security and stability. ”
According to the analysis of the experts mentioned above, once the Chinese and US defense ministers are confirmed to attend the Shangri-La Dialogue at the end of May, the possibility of face-to-face talks between the two sides in Singapore will be greatly increased. "Judging from the previous practice, there are two multilateral occasions for face-to-face talks between the Chinese and US defense ministers: one is during the Shangri-La Dialogue, and the other is during the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting Plus. ”
Experts interviewed by the "Global Times" also believe that there is still uncertainty in the offline talks between the Chinese and US defense ministers, which has a lot to do with the next actions of the United States, and the key is whether the United States will challenge and break through China's bottom line in China's core interests, which can be seen from the press release released by the Pentagon. Six guarantees', this argument is still a blurring, hollowing out, and distorting of the one-China principle. Military expert Zhang Junshe said in an interview with a reporter from the Global Times on the 17th.
In addition, Austin's reiteration of the need to "respect the importance of freedom of navigation on the high seas as guaranteed by international law," especially in the South China Sea, according to the press release. CNN reported that in response to the talks, an anonymous U.S. Defense Department official expressed concern about the incident at Second Thomas Shoal and accused China of "coercive actions" and risking escalation in the region.
"It is not difficult to see that the United States is backing up the Philippines, and its announcement specifically mentions the so-called 'freedom of navigation in the South China Sea'. Zhang Junshe said that the U.S. accusations against China are confusing right and wrong, completely ignoring the fact that the Philippines has taken the initiative to provoke China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea, and conniving at and supporting the Philippines.
Regarding the Taiwan and South China Sea issues, Dong Jun stressed in a press release issued by the Chinese Ministry of National Defense that the Taiwan issue is the core of China's core interests, and China's core interests must not be damaged. The Chinese People's Liberation Army will never let anything go wrong with all "Taiwan independence" separatist activities and external connivance and support. At present, the situation in the South China Sea is generally stable, and regional countries have the willingness, wisdom and ability to solve the problem. The US side should clearly recognize China's firm position, earnestly respect China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea, and take concrete actions to safeguard regional peace and the stability of China-US and militaries.
"The Taiwan issue is at the core of China's core interests, and the South China Sea issue is China's most immediate concern. "The above expert who has studied the military relations between China and the United States said that these two topics have always been a mandatory part of the communication between the two sides, and this time is no exception, and the two sides have certainly made clear their attitudes towards each other," but compared with previous practice, the US side reaffirmed the so-called 'one-China policy' of the United States in the press release this time, and clearly distinguished it from the one-China principle. In addition, the United States has also specifically named the so-called "freedom of navigation issue" in the South China Sea, which is obviously disrespectful to China, and even has the intention of knocking and deterring. The expert said that the United States highlighted this aspect in the press release on the one hand to explain at home and on the other hand to show its allies. China's tough attitude is also very clear: China's defense minister's tough attitude is not only to let the US understand China's determination and will, but also to let neighboring countries understand China's bottom line and red line, so as to avoid misunderstandings, misinterpretations and miscalculations.
Recently, China and the United States have carried out frequent interactions at multiple levels. On April 2, the heads of state of China and the United States had a telephone call and had a frank and in-depth exchange of views on China-US relations and issues of common concern. Experts believe that following the San Francisco meeting between the Chinese and US heads of state, the phone call continued to play the most crucial role in the diplomacy of the heads of state, continued the "San Francisco Vision" started by the San Francisco meeting, and further effectively stabilized Sino-US relations.
After that, on April 4, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen began her second visit to China in office, and from April 2 to 5, at the invitation of the US side, Wang Shouwen, international trade negotiator and vice minister of the Ministry of Commerce, visited the United States. On April 15, Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu met with the visiting US State Department's Assistant Secretary for Asia-Pacific Affairs Kangda and the White House National Security Council's Senior Director for China Affairs Berthalan.
Li Haidong, a professor at China Foreign Affairs University, said in an interview with the Global Times on the 17th that the current frequent interaction between China and the United States is of positive significance, which is conducive to better managing the differences between the two sides, and is also conducive to the formation of a correct understanding and judgment of China's actions and policies by the United States.
However, according to the analysis of the statements issued by the US side in previous times, Li Haidong believes that the sincerity of the United States in communicating with China is not enough, and the starting point of its communication is not to focus on moving in the same direction with the Chinese side to better manage differences and resolve contradictions, but on the contrary, the US foothold is to make its allies more confident in the United States' handling of relations with China and to demonstrate that the United States has the ability to manage Sino-US relations without getting out of control, so that its allies can more confidently and boldly follow the steps of US strategic competition with China. Li Haidong believes that Sino-US exchanges at all levels are inherently positive, but in view of the hypocrisy of the United States in saying one thing and doing another, the communication between the two sides will inevitably be full of twists and turns.