US-China tensions: American troops not planning attack on Chinese territory, Beijing says
- Rumours of possible invasion began after US troops were seen wearing ‘drone over China’ patch on their uniforms during exercise in September
- But China’s defence ministry says matter was cleared up in recent talks with US Defence Secretary Mark Esper
In an apparent bid to ease tensions in the region, China’s defence ministry said the two sides had recently held talks on crisis management and planned to hold a maritime security dialogue before the end of the year.
“US Defence Secretary [Mark] Esper clarified the issue through the military diplomacy channel and said the reports were inconsistent with the facts,” ministry spokesman Wu Qian said, without saying to whom Esper spoke.
Suggestions that the US might be planning an attack began when American media outlets reported on an exercise in California in September involving US troops simulating an island attack. The troops involved wore uniforms adorned with a patch showing an MQ-9 Reaper drone superimposed over a map of China in silhouette.
The reports prompted an angry response from China’s state media, with the nationalist tabloid Global Times calling it “an extremely arrogant provocation”.
Despite the fury, Wu said the matter had now been resolved.
“The US side does not have the intention to create a military crisis and is willing to build stable, constructive, results-oriented ties with the Chinese side,” he said.
“Under the current circumstances, it is important for the two militaries to maintain communication.”