UPDATE - China says coordinating with US to resume top-level military communications

UPDATES WITH MORE DETAILS

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) – China said it is working with the US to resume top-level military communications on Thursday.

"China and US defense authorities are communicating and coordinating on resuming high-level military communications," said Wu Qian, spokesman for the Chinese Defense Ministry, according to Beijing-based China Daily.

Beijing had snapped top-level military dialogue with the Pentagon after then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi paid an unannounced trip in August last year to Taiwan, which China considers its "breakaway province."

The signal to resume the high-level dialogue comes after China's President Xi Jinping paid an official visit to the US early this month, where he met his counterpart, Joe Biden.

China had turned down US requests for contacts between the two militaries at the level of defense chiefs.

Earlier, then-Defense Minister Li Shangfu had a sideline handshake with US Defense Secretary Llyod Austin but no formal meeting.

Wu said China and the US will resume high-level exchanges between the two militaries "on the basis of equality and respect and according to the consensus reached by the two countries' top leaders."

The two sides will resume exchanges in defense policy coordination and military maritime consultation and also conduct telephone conversations between theater commanders.

Currently, China has no defense minister after Li was removed last month in a sudden shakeup over alleged corruption.

The defense minister is a nominal position in China's governance structure who holds specifically military diplomacy, meeting visiting military officials and representing China overseas.

Operational command of China's military lies in the hands of the Central Military Commission headed by President Xi himself.