China, US militaries hold fresh talks to manage risks as South China Sea tensions grow

Talks on operational interactions and best air and maritime safety practices aim to ‘clarify intent’ and reduce risks, according to the US

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A member of the crew on a mainland Chinese vessel keeps watch as the PLA carries out drills around Taiwan, a point of contention with Washington. Photo: Handout

Published: 5:50pm, 9 Nov 2024

Chinese and US military officials have held fresh talks on air and maritime safety, to prevent “unintended escalation” amid mounting tensions in the region including the South China Sea.

The talks, held in the coastal Chinese city of Qingdao from Wednesday to Friday, involved officials from US military services including the Indo-Pacific Command, Pacific Fleet and Pacific Air Forces, as well as the Chinese navy and air force.

According to a statement from the US Indo-Pacific Command, the American delegation was led by Major General Jay Bargeron, the director of strategic planning and policy at the command. The Chinese team was led by People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Rear Admiral Qiang Wang, assistant to the chief of staff of the PLA Navy Headquarters.

The officials met under the US-China Military Maritime Consultative Agreement (MMCA), a framework established more than 25 years ago but suspended in 2022 over Washington’s high-level engagement with Taiwan.

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The framework was revived in April and this week’s talks included both semi-annual MMCA working group meetings and the annual plenary session.