Chinese, US generals vow to manage military differences, like South China Sea

Chiefs of staff Li Zuocheng and Mark Milley promise to create an ‘opportunity to discuss building a constructive and results-oriented defence relationship’

Telephone call comes a day after Beijing blocks visits to Hong Kong by US warships, aircraft in response to Donald Trump signing human rights act into law

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US Army Chief of Staff General Mark Milley and PLA General Li Zuocheng agreed to increase cooperation on military matters. Photo: AFP

Published: 4:04pm, 4 Dec 2019Updated: 11:10pm, 4 Dec 2019

China and the United States will work together to manage their differences and maintain stable military ties, two of their top generals said on Tuesday, a day after Beijing suspended visits by US warships and aircraft to Hong Kong.

Relations between the US military and China’s People’s Liberation Army would not be affected by the ban on port calls, General Mark Milley, the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff and his Chinese counterpart, General Li Zuocheng, agreed in an “introductory” telephone call, according to a statement from the Pentagon.

The pair also promised to create “an opportunity to discuss building a constructive and results-oriented defence relationship”, it said.

“The two military leaders agreed on the value of a productive dialogue, effectively managing differences, and cooperation on areas of common ground,” it said, without providing further details.

China’s foreign ministry said on Monday that all reviews of requests made by US military aircraft and vessels to visit Hong Kong had been suspended, apparently in retaliation for US President Donald Trump signing into law the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, which allows Washington to impose sanctions on officials deemed to have violated human rights in the city.

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