China renews demand that US ‘create conditions’ for military talks

By Necva Tastan

ISTANBUL (AA) - China asked the US to take action Thursday to normalize high-level military dialogue, renewing its demand, according to state media.

Beijing demanded that Washington should take action to create conditions for the two countries' military ties to return back on track.

The Chinese Defense Ministry suspended high-level military talks with the Pentagon following then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's unannounced trip to Taiwan in August 2022.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged China to restore military-to-military communications during his trip to Beijing in June.

In March, Beijing appointed Li Shangfu as defense chief before refusing US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s request to meet Li on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.

The Defense Ministry blamed the US for “seriously undermining mutual trust.” At the same time, its embassy in Washington said the US should lift "illegal unilateral sanctions" to create favorable conditions for dialogue.

Beijing acknowledged that high-level military talks with the US faced difficulties and obstacles as Washington has maintained sanctions against Li.

Li, who has been “missing” since early September for reasons not yet known, was sanctioned by the US in 2018 for "engaging in significant transactions" with Russia.

He was last seen when he attended the third China-Africa Peace and Security Forum in Beijing, on Aug. 29.