US, China agree to open direct military hotline after Xi-Trump summit
In a significant diplomatic development, U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced that the United States and China are set to establish military-to-military communication channels aimed at preventing conflicts and fostering de-escalation. This announcement followed a constructive meeting between Hegseth and Chinese Defense Minister Admiral Dong Jun, where both leaders emphasized the importance of maintaining peace, stability, and amicable relations between their nations. Hegseth’s positive sentiments were shared on social media platform X, where he expressed optimism about the future collaboration between the two military powers. This initiative comes on the heels of a high-profile meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, underscoring a concerted effort to stabilize relations amid rising tensions.
The backdrop of this diplomatic engagement lies in ongoing disputes in the South China Sea, a region fraught with territorial claims from multiple nations, including China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Brunei. During a separate meeting in Malaysia with defense leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Hegseth urged regional allies to stand firm against China’s assertive actions in these contested waters. He criticized China’s expansive maritime claims, which he argued contradict their promises to resolve disputes through peaceful means. Hegseth’s remarks highlighted the volatility of the situation, particularly in light of recent confrontations between Chinese maritime forces and the Philippines, which Beijing has labeled a “troublemaker” for conducting joint military drills with the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand.
In his address to ASEAN leaders, Hegseth called for the finalization of a Code of Conduct with China and proposed the establishment of a “shared maritime domain awareness” network. This initiative aims to enhance rapid-response capabilities to deter provocations, ensuring that member nations facing aggression are supported. Furthermore, Hegseth welcomed the planned ASEAN-U.S. maritime exercise in December, which is designed to bolster coordination among allies and safeguard the principle of freedom of navigation in the region. As tensions in the South China Sea continue to escalate, the establishment of military communication channels between the U.S. and China could play a crucial role in mitigating risks and promoting stability in this strategically significant area.
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The United States and China plan to establish military-to-military communications channels “to deconflict and deescalate” potential problems,
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth
said Saturday after talking with his Chinese counterpart.
In a post on X, Hegseth said he had a “positive meeting” with Adm. Dong Jun, China’s minister of national defense, in the wake of President
Donald Trump’s
meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
During their talk, the two defense leaders agreed that the best path forward for the U.S. and China involves “peace, stability, and good relations.”
“Admiral Dong and I also agreed that we should set up military-to-military channels to deconflict and deescalate any problems that arise. We have more meetings on that coming soon. God bless both China and the USA!” Hegseth wrote, in part.
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Earlier Saturday, Hegseth attended a separate meeting in Malaysia with defense leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), where he urged them to push back against Beijing’s aggressive actions in the South China Sea.
“China’s sweeping territorial and maritime claims in the South China Sea fly in the face of their commitments to resolve disputes peacefully,” Hegseth said at the meeting, according to The Associated Press.
“We seek peace. We do not seek conflict. But we must ensure that China is not seeking to dominate you or anybody else,” he added.
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The South China Sea remains volatile with Beijing, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei all claiming overlapping territories.
China’s maritime fleet
has frequently clashed with the Philippines in the disputed waters, with Chinese officials recently describing the country as a “troublemaker” for staging naval and air drills with the U.S., Australia and New Zealand.
Hegseth defended the U.S. ally during the Saturday meeting by saying Beijing’s designation of the Scarborough Shoal – a territory seized from the Philippines in 2012 – as a “nature reserve” was “yet another attempt to coerce new and expanded territorial and maritime claims at your expense.”
The war secretary then urged ASEAN to finalize the Code of Conduct with China and proposed creating a “shared maritime domain awareness” network and rapid-response systems to deter provocations – measures he said would ensure that any member facing “aggression and provocation is not alone.”
Hegseth also welcomed plans for an ASEAN-U.S. maritime exercise in December aimed at strengthening coordination and safeguarding freedom of navigation.
Eric
Eric is a seasoned journalist covering US Politics news.
