China is ready to expand military cooperation with the United States, strengthen communication between the armed forces of the two countries and improve mechanisms for military crisis prevention. This was stated on October 10 by the spokesman of the Chinese Ministry of Defense Chen Xi, quoted by the „Xinhua“ agency. and Russian media.
The statement comes after Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to Washington in late September, when he and US President Donald Trump reached agreements to stabilize bilateral relations.
“The Chinese armed forces are ready to work with the US side to implement the important agreements reached between the leaders of the two countries, strengthen communication and dialogue, expand exchanges and cooperation, and properly manage differences“, said Chen Xi.
According to the Chinese military spokesman, the goal is to ensure stable, healthy and sustainable development of relations between the armed forces of China and the US. Beijing sees this process as part of efforts to build a relationship of strategic stability based on mutual respect, justice and equality.
Cheng Xi stressed that diplomacy at the highest state level plays a leading role in determining the direction of military cooperation between the two countries. According to him, the agreements between Xi Jinping and Donald Trump create a basis for improving contacts between military departments.
During Xi Jinping's visit to the United States from September 23 to 25, the two presidents discussed bilateral relations and a number of international issues. Among the agreements reached was the intention for the Chinese and American armed forces to conclude a memorandum as soon as possible to improve communication and crisis prevention.
The document should create additional opportunities for interaction between the military structures of the two countries in case of dangerous situations. However, the Chinese side did not specify whether new emergency communication channels would be created or existing mechanisms would be improved.
The military dialogue between Beijing and Washington is of particular importance against the backdrop of the ongoing strategic rivalry between the world's two largest economies. Among the main sources of tension remain Taiwan, the military presence in the South China Sea and the competition for influence in the Indo-Pacific region.
In recent years, relations between the armed forces of China and the United States have gone through periods of serious tension, including the interruption of certain formats for communication. The lack of constant dialogue between military commands increases the risk of misjudgment in incidents involving warships and aircraft.
Even before the September summit, representatives of the two countries discussed options for restoring and expanding channels for military interaction. In August, talks between senior commanders of the Chinese and American armed forces took place, which was seen as a positive signal for the gradual restoration of contacts.
The agreements between Xi Jinping and Donald Trump are not limited to the military sphere. The two sides also agreed to establish a dialogue mechanism on artificial intelligence, including a special communication channel for incidents related to the use of new technologies.
In the economic sphere, a mutual reduction of tariffs on certain goods amounting to approximately $30 billion was agreed, as well as the continuation of trade consultations.
Despite these steps towards stabilizing relations between Washington and Beijing, significant disagreements remain on issues of security, technology and international trade.
The new statement by the Chinese Ministry of Defense shows Beijing's readiness to implement the agreements reached at the presidential level. However, no specific deadlines for signing the military memorandum or details of future cooperation mechanisms have been announced so far.