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South China Sea: amid tension, US and Chinese navy chiefs discuss ‘increasing security challenges in Indo-Pacific’
- While Philippines was absent from forum, members passed updated Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea, a non-binding multilateral agreement
- Chinese navy commander Hu Zhongming called for close communication and stronger coordination between naval forces of member countries
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Amber Wangin Beijing
US and Chinese navy chiefs have met for talks during a naval forum in northeast China amid tensions in the South China Sea.
Admiral Stephen Koehler, commander of the US Pacific Fleet, met Admiral Yuan Huazhi, political commissar of the People’s Liberation Army Navy, at the 19th Western Pacific Naval Symposium in Qingdao on Tuesday.
Koehler met Yuan to discuss “increasing security challenges in the Indo-Pacific”, according to a statement from the US Pacific Fleet which provides naval forces to the Indo-Pacific Command.
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Two days earlier, Koehler had met the commander of China’s navy, Admiral Hu Zhongming, according to the statement.
In meetings with Chinese PLA officials, Koehler discussed the importance of maintaining open lines of communication, operational safety and regional security concerns, it said.
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The bilateral talks – which the Chinese side is yet to confirm or offer details about – came after a series of senior-level talks between the two militaries, including most recently between US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and China’s Defence Minister, Admiral Dong Jun this month.
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