Dr. Michael Chase, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for China, Taiwan, and Mongolia, met with People's Republic of China (PRC) Major General Ye Jiang, Deputy Director of the Central Military Commission Office for International Military Cooperation, in Beijing for the 18th U.S.-PRC Defense Policy Coordination Talks from September 14-15.
The two sides discussed U.S.-PRC defense relations, and Dr. Chase highlighted the importance of maintaining open lines of military-to-military communication in order to prevent competition from veering into conflict. He welcomed the bilateral defense engagements conducted between the United States and the PRC since the last round of Defense Policy Coordination Talks in January 2024. He also underscored the importance of completing outstanding defense engagements prior to the end of the year.
The two sides also discussed regional and global security issues. Dr. Chase underscored that the U.S. commitment to our allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific and globally remains ironclad. He emphasized the importance of respect for freedom of navigation guaranteed under international law in light of the PRC's destabilizing actions against lawful Philippine operations in the South China Sea. He raised concerns about the PRC's support for Russia's defense industrial base and its impact on European and transatlantic security, as well as ongoing Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) provocations. Dr. Chase also underscored the importance of preserving peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.
This week's talks follow Secretary Austin's May 31, 2024, meeting with PRC Minister of National Defense, Admiral Dong Jun, on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, and — more recently — USINDOPACOM Commander ADM Paparo's call with PLA Southern Theater Commander General Wu Yanan on September 9.