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Top US general offers ‘rational’ take on China’s military progress, analyst says
- Mark Milley’s impartial view may be good sign of desire in Washington to ease tensions with Beijing, observer says
- In interviews with two US broadcasters, Milley weighs in on the ‘spy balloon’ saga, Taiwan and PLA modernisation
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The Pentagon appears keen to repair ties with the Chinese military and help stabilise ties between the two countries, a Chinese analyst said in response to comments by the retiring head of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff.
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In an interview with CBS News on Sunday, General Mark Milley, who retires this month, offered his assessment of February’s spy balloon saga, Taiwan and progress on China’s military modernisation.
The Chinese balloon spent a week flying over the United States and Canada before being shot down off the Atlantic Coast on orders from President Joe Biden.
Beijing has consistently denied that the object was a “spy balloon”, but it was an unmanned airship used for meteorological survey that was accidentally blown off course and drifted into American airspace.
The fallout prompted US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to postpone a highly anticipated visit to China, worsening already fraught relations.
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Antony Blinken to visit China after calling off last meeting over ‘spy balloon’ incident
Antony Blinken to visit China after calling off last meeting over ‘spy balloon’ incident
Milley said that after seven months of investigation, experts had determined that the object of the balloon “wasn’t spying”.
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