The Southern Theater Command is answerable for the Beijing army’s actions within the South China Sea, the place Chinese language vessels have engaged in a collection of high-profile confrontations with Philippine ships in current months.
China claims nearly the entire economically very important physique of water regardless of competing claims from different nations and a world court docket ruling that its assertion has no authorized foundation.
Tuesday’s high-level army dialogue between the geopolitical rivals comes on the heels of the primary go to to China by a US nationwide safety advisor since 2016.
Prime White Home aide Jake Sullivan visited Beijing last month, the place he held talks with senior military official Zhang Youxia.
Sullivan’s assembly with Zhang noticed the officers agree to carry a name between the 2 sides’ theatre commanders within the close to future, the White Home stated.
The highest aide additionally raised the significance of “freedom of navigation” within the South China Sea, the place Beijing and Manila have clashed in current months, and “stability” within the Taiwan Strait, Washington stated.
Zhang, in flip, warned that the standing of the self-ruled island was “the primary pink line that can’t be crossed in China-US relations”.
“China calls for that the US halts army collusion with Taiwan, ceases arming Taiwan, and stops spreading false narratives associated to Taiwan,” Zhang added.
He additionally requested the US to “work with China to advertise communication and exchanges between the 2 militaries and collectively shoulder the duties of main powers”.
