‘Crisis Communications and Prevention Working Group’ to advance discussions concerning defence
Defence officials from China and the US met in Washington on November 2 and 3, coming together to discuss military communication amidst the US midterm elections. Their meeting was the first of a newly established annual ‘Crisis Communications and Prevention Working Group’ between the two countries, arising from an agreement between Beijing and Washington aiming to increase cooperation between their two militaries.
The SCMP reported that the gathering included high-ranking officials such as Senior Colonel Wang Wei, deputy director of the Americas and Oceania Affairs Bureau in the PLA Office of International Military Cooperation, and Cynthia ‘Xanthi’ Carras, the principal director for China, Taiwan and Mongolia from the Office of the US Under Secretary of War for Policy.
The US Department of War highlights the agreement on ‘advancing practical communication measures’ and discussion of ‘additional channels to promote effective crisis management’ as the main outcome of the meeting. As of now, further information on what was concretely discussed in the working group remains undisclosed, though Washington stated it will continue to ‘advance discussions with the PLA on key defense issues in the coming months.’
Aiming for increased cooperation amid the US midterm elections
With the Democrats gaining power in the US Congress as a result of the midterm elections, analysts have observed that there may be a heightened risk for US-China tension. Particularly issues such as Taiwan could see stances conflicting with the geoeconomic nature of the current US foreign policy. In this regard, the ‘Crisis Communications and Prevention Working Group’ could be read as an effort to increase stability between Washington and Beijing, though the extent of its influence on foreign policy remains to be seen.
