On Thursday morning Beijing time, US National Security Advisor Sullivan met with Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Chinese Communist Party, Zhang Youxia. This marked the first meeting between Zhang Youxia and the Biden administration officials.
According to a statement released by the White House, Sullivan emphasized the responsibility of both countries to prevent competition from evolving into conflict or confrontation. Both sides reiterated the importance of regular military exchanges as part of efforts to maintain high-level diplomatic communication and open channels.
The White House mentioned that Sullivan also addressed the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, the US commitment to freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, and concerns about Beijing’s support for the Russian defense industry base. He stressed the necessity to avoid misjudgments and escalation in cyberspace, as well as ongoing efforts towards achieving a ceasefire in Gaza and a hostage agreement.
During the meeting at the Bayi Building (headquarters of the Chinese military), Zhang Youxia stated, “Your request for this meeting with me shows the US government’s attention to military security and the relationship between the two militaries.”
“I know we rarely have the opportunity for such exchanges, considering the global situation and our responsibility to responsibly manage US-China relations, I believe this meeting is very important,” Sullivan responded.
Both sides are planning to hold a theater commander telephone conference in the near future.
The US has been working to establish communication channels between the US Indo-Pacific Command and the Chinese Eastern and Southern Theater Commands as these two commands have been actively operating around Taiwan and the South China Sea.
This is the first time in eight years that a US National Security Advisor has met with a Vice Chairman of the Chinese Central Military Commission. In 2016, then US National Security Advisor Susan Rice met with Vice Chairman of the Chinese Central Military Commission Fan Changlong in Beijing. Two years later, then US Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis met with XU Qiliang, who was serving as the Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission at the time.
In recent times, there have been continuous provocations by China in the Taiwan Strait, South China Sea, and East China Sea, leading to conflicts with US allies.
Chinese coast guard vessels, navy ships, and suspected militia boats frequently clash with Philippine vessels conducting supply missions, resulting in injuries to Philippine sailors and damage to ships. In the past week, tensions in the South China Sea between China and the Philippines have escalated, with a series of maritime and aerial confrontations.
On Tuesday, US Indo-Pacific Command Commander Samuel Paparo explicitly stated that the US Navy escorting Filipino vessels in the South China Sea to carry out supply missions is a “completely reasonable option,” but consultation between the US and the Philippines is needed.
Last Thursday, a US Seventh Fleet missile destroyer conducted a transit through the Taiwan Strait, prompting China to protest once again, accusing the US of “publicity stunts” and deploying air and naval surveillance.
This week, a Chinese military aircraft entered Japanese airspace for the first time, exacerbating tensions between China and the US’s key partner, Japan.
Prior to meeting with Zhang Youxia, Sullivan held talks with China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi.
The White House stated that during the meeting with Wang Yi, Sullivan reiterated the US commitment to defending Indo-Pacific allies and expressed concerns about China’s destabilizing actions against “legitimate Filipino maritime activities.” Sullivan also emphasized the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait during the meeting.
Sullivan is scheduled to have further discussions with Wang Yi on Thursday. The agenda may include differing views on the Middle East and Ukraine, Taiwan and South China Sea situations, and US-China trade.