US-China military talks address potential for accidental conflicts in Indo-Pacific
- Meeting in Hawaii on Wednesday and Thursday was first face-to-face consultation since Xi Jinping and Joe Biden agreed to resume military dialogue in November
- The US has accused China of ‘coercive and risky operational behaviour’ against US assets acting lawfully in international airspace over the East and South China seas
US and Chinese military officials have met in Hawaii to discuss ways to avoid accidental clashes in the contentious Indo-Pacific region – their first face-to-face gathering since the leaders of both countries agreed in November to resume direct military communications.
Held in Honolulu, the meeting of the Military Maritime Consultative Agreement Working Group took place on Wednesday and Thursday. The US was represented by officers from the Indo-Pacific Command, Pacific Fleet and Pacific Air Forces.
According to Colonel Ian Francis of the Indo-Pacific Command, who led the US delegation, the talks concerned airspace and maritime operations.
“The United States will continue to operate safely and professionally in the Indo-Pacific wherever international law allows, and we take this responsibility seriously,” he said in a statement issued on Friday.