US to resume military-to-military dialogue with China "in coming months": Lloyd Austin

US-China to resume military-military relations in the coming months, said Lloyd Austin at Shangri-La Dialogue (Picture Credit: AFP & AP)

The United States and China will resume military-to-military communications "in the coming months," said US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin after meeting with his Chinese counterpart Dong Jun in Singapore on Friday at the Shangri-La Dialogue.

According to a report of the meeting released by Pentagon, Austin and Dong met here on the margins of the Shangri-La Dialogue to discuss US- China defence relations along with regional and global security issues.

The meeting was the first face-to-face meeting between the Chinese and US Defence Ministers after 18 whole months.

Department of Defence Press Secretary Pat Ryder said in a statement that, Austin, in the meeting with his Chinese counterpart today at Shangri- La Dialogue, he emphasized the importance of maintaining open lines of military-to-military communication between the United States and China.

Not long ago, China has conducted a large scale, two-day military drill with relation to Taiwan and Beijing's efforts to aggressively assert territorial claims in the East and South Chine Seas. The two-day drill was also denouncing Washington's efforts to strengthen security ties with important allies like Japan, South Korea and the Philippines.

The telephone conversations between theatre commanders will be resumed in the coming months, affirms Austin. The announcement was made by US President Joe Biden and his Chinese Counterpart Xi Jinping in November 2023.

As Taiwan held presidential election and the inauguration of President Lai Ching-te this month, Austin also expressed concern about the recent proactive Chinese military activity around the Taiwan Strait. He reiterated that China should not use Taiwan's political transition part of a normal, routine democratic process.

While affirming the importance of peace and stability across Taiwan Strait, the US Defence official also underscored that the United States remains committed to its longstanding one China policy, which is guided by the Taiwan Relations Act, the Three US-China Joint Communiques, and the Six Assurances.

Austin also made clear that under the guidelines of the International Law, US will continue to fly, sail and operate; safely and responsibly. He said he understands and respects the freedom of navigation under International Law, especially in South China Sea.

The US Defence Department will welcome a crisis-communications working group by the end of the year, said the US Department of Defence.

Russia's unprovoked war against Ukraine and China's role in supporting Russia's defence industrial base was also discussed by the top defence officials in the Dialogue. The statement released by the Pentagon read; "The Secretary also expressed concerns about recent provocations from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), including its direct contributions to Russia's ongoing assault on Ukraine."

Following the meeting Pentagon said the US officials will continue active discussions with their Chinese counterparts about future engagements between defence and military officials at multiple levels. Today's meeting follows Austin's April 16 video teleconference call with his Chinese counterpart.

Defence chiefs and officials from around the world are attending the Shangri-La Dialogue, an annual forum that began today and will culminate on Sunday.

The Shangri-La Dialogue's today's keynote speech will be delivered by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in 2018, had delivered the key note speech at the forum. Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese were some of the earlier keynote speakers.