Beijing acknowledges ‘positive outcome’ of talks between top Chinese, US military leaders

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) – Beijing on Thursday acknowledged a “positive” outcome following a video call between top military commanders of China and the US.

Wu Qian, spokesman for China’s Defense Ministry, said the video call between Gen. Liu Zhenli, chief of the joint staff department of China’s Central Military Commission, and Gen. Charles Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the US military, “yielded positive and constructive outcomes.”

Liu and Brown held the first highest-level military contact between the world’s top two economies last week in more than a year.

“We expect the US side to work with us in the same direction and take concrete actions on the basis of equality and respect to promote the sound and steady development of China-US military-to-military relationship,” said Wu, according to Beijing-based daily Global Times.

China snapped high-level military communication with the US after then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi paid an unannounced trip to Taiwan in August 2022.

However, in November, China’s President Xi Jinping flew to the US where he held a summit with his counterpart Joe Biden which appears to have eased the tensions.

The call came at a time when the two militaries have seen close engagement over the disputed South China Sea.

However, Beijing on Wednesday “expressed strong dissatisfaction with and resolute opposition” to Washington’s passage of the National Defense Authorization Act for 2024 that contains “negative China-related content.”

Beijing was referring to the US move which authorized the US secretary of defense to create a training program for Taiwan's military in order to help strengthen its defense capabilities, counter Chinese influence campaigns, and support Taiwan's participation in international organizations, according to Taipei.

China considers Taiwan as its "breakaway province" while Taipei has insisted on its independence since 1949.

"The US National Defense Authorization Act makes groundless hypes about the so-called 'China military threat,' grossly interferes in China’s internal affairs, and severely harms China’s national sovereignty, security and development interests," Wu said Thursday.