A delegation from the US Department of Defense is scheduled to attend the Xiangshan Security Forum in Beijing this week. During the event, high-level talks between US and Chinese military officials will take place.
According to a press release issued by the US Department of Defense on Thursday, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for China, Taiwan, and Mongolia Affairs Michael Chase will lead the American delegation to this year’s Xiangshan Security Forum. They will also participate in the 18th annual Defense Policy Coordination Meeting between the US and China, following the resumption of military dialogues between the two countries last year.
American officials stated that the delegation will have meetings with regional allies and partners during the Xiangshan Forum, emphasizing the shared vision that the US upholds in the Indo-Pacific region.
“This includes respecting sovereignty, abiding by international law, believing in transparency and openness, promoting trade and freedom of navigation, ensuring all countries have equal rights, and resolving disputes through peaceful means rather than coercion or conflict,” a senior defense official said.
The official emphasized the differences between the US and China, stating that this regional vision is not something one would hear from Beijing or its associates.
The “friends” of the Xiangshan Forum are seemingly referring to Russia. The Russian Defense Minister is invited to attend the forum in Beijing every year.
The Chinese Communist Party employs diplomatic pressure and extensive economic coercion against other countries, particularly neighboring nations in the Indo-Pacific region, as well as engages in illicit economic espionage.
Former US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo publicly criticized Beijing for having more maritime and territorial disputes than any other country in the world. He emphasized Beijing’s repeated provocations of territorial disputes from the Himalayas to Vietnam’s Exclusive Economic Zone to the Senkaku Islands, stating that the world should not tolerate such aggressive behavior.
The aforementioned US Department of Defense official expressed concern over China’s increasingly provocative actions in the region.
“This is why the Department of Defense is working more closely with our allies and partners than ever before, including collaborating with some participants of this week’s Xiangshan Forum, to collectively enhance peace, stability, and deterrence in the entire Indo-Pacific region,” the official said.
After the conclusion of the forum, Michael Chase will lead the US delegation in attending defense coordination talks between the US and China.
The last high-level military talks between the US and China took place in September 2021.
The US senior defense official informed the media that this meeting provides an opportunity for both sides to have frank discussions, with the US conveying concerns about issues affecting the relationship between the two countries.
“Our diplomatic and communication channels do not indicate any change in our posture towards China,” the official said.
“It’s a fierce competition relationship, but we are committed to managing this competition responsibly and preventing it from escalating into conflict,” the official added.