According to a statement from the Chinese Ministry of Defense, the meeting occurred on January 8th and 9th in Washington.

China expressed its willingness to develop healthy and stable military relations with the United States on the basis of equality and respect. It also advocated for the joint implementation of the consensus reached at the San Francisco summit between the two heads of state.

Beijing stressed that it will never make concessions on the Taiwan issue and demanded the United States abide by the One China principle, earnestly implement its commitments, stop arming Taiwan and to oppose its independence.

China’s Defense Ministry urged Washington to reduce its military deployments and actions in the South China Sea and stop providing support “for the infringement and provocation by certain countries.”

The US Department of Defense issued a similar statement assuring that Washington advocated keeping lines of communication open between the two armed forces to avoid incidents.

Last December, both countries resumed military dialogue after more than a year of suspension, one of the agreements reached by Presidents Xi Jinping and Joe Biden during their last meeting.

The defense exchange was discontinued after the then-Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi visit to Taiwan in August 2022.

jrr/llp/oda/idm