Chinese, US military officials hold talks, discuss Taiwan

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) — Ahead of a presidential inauguration in Taiwan, Chinese and US military officials have held talks discussing bilateral relations and the situation in the region.

Maj. Gen. Li Bin, who represented China, held a video conference with Ely Ratner, the US' Indo-Pacific security affairs chief, with the duo discussing "issues of mutual concern," according to the US Department of Defense.

Stressing the importance of strengthening military-to-military communication, China's Defense Ministry said on Friday that the two sides should "adhere to mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation, which is the right way to get along," according to Chinese state media.

Li is director of China's Central Military Commission Office for International Military Cooperation.

On Taiwan, the Chinese side said US military collusion with the island nation and the separatist actions of pro-independence forces are "the main sources of chaos destabilizing the Taiwan Straits."

"The Chinese military's determination to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity is unwavering," the ministry said.

The video conference between Chinese and US military officials comes a few days ahead of a planned presidential inauguration in Taiwan, where William Lai will take his oath of office for a period of four years.

Washington has increased its engagements with Taipei and the Biden administration has decided to send an "unofficial" delegation to attend Lai's inauguration.

However, Ratner reaffirmed the US' "commitment to our longstanding one-China policy."

The virtual meeting between the two militaries also comes as US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and China's Defense Minister Dong Jun are expected to meet during a security conference in Singapore later this month.

A meeting between the two defense chiefs would be the first in at least two years.

- China defiant as US backs Philippines in South China Sea

In an apparent reference to the Philippines, the Chinese military officials told the US side that Washington has "encouraged proxies" in the South China Sea to "stir up" disputes.

"China's actions to safeguard its rights are completely legitimate and legal," the officials said, according to broadcaster CGTN, which added that the US deployment of land-based intermediate-range missiles jeopardizes regional security.

"If it (US) is bent on having its own way, it will certainly be met with China's resolute counteraction," it quoted the ministry as saying.

China and the Philippines are engaged in maritime disputes in the South China Sea, while the US has increased and expanded its combat footprints in the Southeast Asian nation where it jointly uses Filipino military bases.

The US side, led by Ratner, for its part, described China's actions as "dangerous" against "lawfully operating" Philippine vessels in the South China Sea, the Department of Defense said in the statement.

The two sides discussed operational safety across the Indo-Pacific region and Ratner "underscored that the US commitment to allies in the Indo-Pacific and globally remains ironclad," the department said in a statement.

Ratner also referred to the relations between Russia and North Korea, which he said raised "serious concern" over China's support to Russia's defense-industrial base that "enables Russia's war in Ukraine."