US-China relations: defence chiefs expected to speak ‘soon’ after latest talks between Joe Biden and Xi Jinping

The two leaders agreed to ‘advance’ efforts to get military-to-military talks up and running again during their phone conversation this week

Beijing and Washington have been working to stabilise relations amid heightened tensions in the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea

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Xi Jinping and Joe Biden pictured in California in November, when they agree to resume high-level military exchanges. Photo: AFP

Published: 12:00am, 4 Apr 2024Updated: 1:19am, 4 Apr 2024

The Chinese and US defence ministers are expected to end a 17-month hiatus and speak “soon” following this week’s phone call between Presidents Xi Jinping and Joe Biden.

It was also confirmed that US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen will arrive in China on Thursday and Secretary of State Antony Blinken will also visit “in the coming weeks” as the two sides seek to keep relations stable in the run-up to November’s presidential election.

The two presidents agreed to ask their teams to “advance” military-to-military communications, according to the Chinese statement issued after the call. A senior White House official had earlier told a press briefing: “We also expect a SecDef [secretary of defence]-minister of defence call soon.”

The official had also said that the two countries were planning to hold talks in Hawaii this week through the Military Maritime Consultative Agreement, a platform for theatre operators to discuss maritime safety.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin (pictured on March 21) is expected to speak to China’s minister of defence “soon”, according to the White House. Photo: AP

The last formal interaction between senior defence officials was in November 2022, when US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin met the then-Chinese defence minister Wei Fenghe in Cambodia.