|
Spokesperson Wu Qian told a media briefing in Beijing that
China's naval commander Admiral Hu Zhongming and political
commissar Yuan Huazhi had a "deep exchange of views" with U.S.
Pacific Fleet chief Admiral Stephen Koehler and Russia's naval
commander Admiral Alexander Moiseyev.
"The PLA navy is willing to work with all countries to further
strengthen communication, enhance trust and play a positive and
constructive role in building a maritime community with a shared
future," Wu said.
The confirmation of the Hu-Koehler meeting was the latest sign
that liaisons between the Chinese and U.S. militaries is
returning to normal following a communications breakdown after
then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan in August 2022.
Wu gave no more details of Hu's meeting with Koehler.
Hu and Yuan also met naval counterparts from France, Chile and
Cambodia as part of a symposium that also included Japanese,
Indian, British and Australian officials amid heightened
regional tensions.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with Chinese Defense
Minister Dong Jun by phone last week in the first such
engagement in more than a year.
Working-level officials from both sides met in Hawaii earlier in
the month, focusing on how the two militaries can operate safely
amid heightened tensions over Taiwan and the disputed South
China Sea.
Wu said on Thursday that the Austin-Dong phone call "bears
positive significance in maintaining the overall stability of
bilateral military ties".
As military deployments increase across East Asia, U.S. military
officials have sought to maintain open lines of communication
with Chinese counterparts to boost understanding and ease the
risks of accidents spiraling out of control.
More broadly, Wu reiterated Chinese concerns over U.S. strategic
diplomacy across the region, particularly recent discussions
about Japan joining the AUKUS defence grouping of Britain,
Australia and the United States.
"For some time now, the U.S. and Japan have tightened military
collaboration, hyped up bloc confrontation, and formed small
cliques targeting others using the groundless 'China threat' as
an excuse," Wu said.
"This will only let the international community see clearly the
nature of the U.S.-Japan alliance and their plot to undermine
regional peace and stability."
(Reporting By Laurie Chan in Beijing; writing by Greg Torode in
Hong Kong; editing by Jacqueline Wong, Mark Heinrich and Miral
Fahmy)
[© 2024 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2022 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may
not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.
|
|
