US Defence Secretary James Mattis maintained a cordial and working personal relationship with his Chinese counterpart General Wei Fenghe. Photo: AFP US Defence Secretary James Mattis maintained a cordial and working personal relationship with his Chinese counterpart General Wei Fenghe. Photo: AFP
US Defence Secretary James Mattis maintained a cordial and working personal relationship with his Chinese counterpart General Wei Fenghe. Photo: AFP
Ankit Panda
Opinion

Opinion

Ankit Panda

With James Mattis’ resignation, what now for US-China military ties?

  • Defence secretary seen as a symbol of continuity by America’s Asian allies and his departure could lead to turbulence in region, says Ankit Panda
  • A new defence chief who shares Donald Trump’s mistrust of China might usher in a more dangerous period

Ankit Panda
Ankit Panda

Updated: 9:11pm, 22 Dec, 2018

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US Defence Secretary James Mattis maintained a cordial and working personal relationship with his Chinese counterpart General Wei Fenghe. Photo: AFP US Defence Secretary James Mattis maintained a cordial and working personal relationship with his Chinese counterpart General Wei Fenghe. Photo: AFP
US Defence Secretary James Mattis maintained a cordial and working personal relationship with his Chinese counterpart General Wei Fenghe. Photo: AFP
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Ankit Panda

Ankit Panda

Ankit Panda is an Adjunct Senior Fellow in the Defense Posture Project at the Federation of American Scientists, a Senior Editor at The Diplomat, an online magazine on Asia-Pacific affairs, and a Contributing Editor at War on the Rocks. Panda is an award-winning writer and a frequently cited analyst on geopolitical and security issues in the Asia-Pacific. His writing has appeared in The Diplomat, The Atlantic, The Daily Beast, Politico Magazine, and War on the Rocks, among other publications.