Select Language:
During a regional summit in Malaysia, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the two nations had agreed to revive military-to-military communication channels aimed at reducing misunderstandings and preventing escalation. Hegseth met with Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun on the sidelines of the event, a day after South Korean talks between President Xi Jinping and President Donald Trump.
Hegseth shared on X that he had just spoken with President Trump, emphasizing that US-China relations are at an all-time high. He also noted that he had reconnected with Dong after their face-to-face encounter. “Both of us agree that peace, stability, and good relations are the best way forward for our two strong nations,” he stated, advocating for a relationship built on “strength, mutual respect, and positive cooperation.”
The two military leaders also concurred on establishing channels to handle issues swiftly and avoid misunderstandings, although these mechanisms have historically been sporadically used. Hegseth mentioned more meetings on this topic are planned, without providing specifics. Beijing has yet to comment publicly.
According to a statement from China’s Ministry of Defense, Dong told Hegseth that both countries should enhance policy-level communication to foster trust and dispel uncertainties. They aim to develop a military relationship defined by equality, respect, peaceful coexistence, and steady positive momentum.
Last week, Trump stated he had agreed to lower tariffs on Chinese goods to 47% in exchange for China resuming US soybean imports, maintaining exports of rare earth elements, and cracking down on fentanyl smuggling. These remarks followed direct talks with Xi in Busan, South Korea—their first since 2019—and marked the conclusion of Trump’s Asia tour, which also included trade agreements with South Korea, Japan, and Southeast Asian nations.
ChatGPT
Perplexity
Gemini AI
Grok AI
