The Southern Theater Command is accountable for the Beijing navy’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 latest months.
China claims virtually the entire economically important physique of water regardless of competing claims from different international locations and a world courtroom ruling that its assertion has no authorized foundation.
Tuesday’s high-level navy dialogue between the geopolitical rivals comes on the heels of the primary go to to China by a US nationwide safety advisor since 2016.
High White Home aide Jake Sullivan visited Beijing final 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 mentioned.
The highest aide additionally raised the significance of “freedom of navigation” within the South China Sea, the place Beijing and Manila have clashed in latest months, and “stability” within the Taiwan Strait, Washington mentioned.
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 navy 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 obligations of main powers”.
