Southern Theater Commanders of the US and China Armed Forces to Discuss Prevention of Impending Conflict
US and China : In an effort to avoid military misunderstandings between the two superpowers, the commander of US troops in the Indo-Pacific is scheduled to meet with the commander of China’s armed forces in the southern theater in the coming weeks. The announcement of the forthcoming negotiations by US Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns on Thursday is a major move in the direction of reducing tensions.
The discussions follow a visit to Beijing by US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, who met with Chinese military advisors last month. It was decided during this visit that talks would soon take place between the commanders of China’s southern theater command, which is in charge of the South China Sea, and the US Indo-Pacific force commanders.
In an interview with Foreign Policy magazine, Burns said, “I believe Admiral Sam Paparo…is going to have a conversation with a southern theater commander of the People’s Liberation Army in the coming weeks.”
Burns emphasized the significance of this kind of communication in averting confrontations, especially in view of previous incidents like the US shooting down a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon last year. China declined to interact with US military officers at the time, but the impending talks mark a change for the better. Burns also voiced optimism for upcoming discussions between China’s military chiefs and higher-ranking officials such as US military Secretary Lloyd Austin.
Burns emphasized that any issues that could occur in international seas or airspace must be resolved. “We need that connectivity to ensure that if an accident or misunderstanding occurs, our military leaders can quickly communicate to de-escalate the situation,” Burns stated.
Burns also expressed worry about China’s escalating military buildup and its hostile policies against US allies, including Japan and the Philippines. In light of the near proximity of US and Chinese troops operating in the area, he emphasized the need of communication in preventing unintentional confrontations.
Burns said that further action was required on precursor chemicals, arrests, and financial crackdowns connected to illegal narcotics. He also acknowledged some progress in US-China collaboration on tackling the fentanyl epidemic, which is a major source of drug overdoses in the US, in addition to military concerns.
