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China spells out ‘obstacles’ to resuming high-level military talks with the US
- Defence ministry cites US arms sales to Taiwan, close-in reconnaissance missions and sanctions against minister as hurdles to top-level exchanges
- ‘Military-to-military communication has not stopped’, spokesman says, confirming that China took part in a recent US-hosted defence meeting in Fiji
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Arms sales to Taipei and a refusal to lift sanctions imposed on Chinese defence chief General Li Shangfu are still the main obstacles to resuming high-level military talks to Washington, Beijing has said.
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The US “should mind its own business”, a defence ministry spokesman told a regular press briefing on Thursday, while clarifying that communication channels remained open.
“I want to clarify that military-to-military communication between China and the United States has not stopped,” ministry spokesman and Senior Colonel Wu Qian said.
Both sides had maintained “candid and effective communication” through military and diplomatic channels, he added.
Wu also confirmed reports that China had taken part in a US-hosted conference of defence chiefs in Fiji earlier this month.
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The People’s Liberation Army delegation was led by General Xu Qiling, deputy chief of staff in the Joint Staff Department of China’s top defence command body, the Central Military Commission, Wu said.
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