Dr. Michael Chase, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for China, Taiwan, and Mongolia, met with People's Republic of China (PRC) Major General Ye Jiang, Deputy Director of the Central Military Commission Office for International Military Cooperation, in Beijing for the 18th U.S.-PRC Defense Policy Coordination Talks from September 14-15.
The two sides discussed U.S.-PRC defense relations. Dr. Chase highlighted the importance of maintaining open lines of military-to-military communication to prevent competition from veering into conflict. He welcomed the bilateral defense engagements conducted between the United States and the PRC since the last round of Defense Policy Coordination Talks in January 2024. He also underscored the importance of completing outstanding defense engagements before the end of the year.
The discussions also covered regional and global security issues. Dr. Chase emphasized that "the U.S. commitment to our allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific and globally remains ironclad." He stressed respect for freedom of navigation guaranteed under international law in light of "the PRC's destabilizing actions against lawful Philippine operations in the South China Sea." Additionally, he raised concerns about "the PRC's support for Russia's defense industrial base" and its impact on European and transatlantic security, as well as ongoing Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) provocations. Dr. Chase also highlighted "the importance of preserving peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait."
This week's talks follow Secretary Austin's May 31, 2024 meeting with PRC Minister of National Defense Admiral Dong Jun on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, and more recently USINDOPACOM Commander ADM Paparo's call with PLA Southern Theater Commander General Wu Yanan on September 9.
