US, China, Russia naval officials hold private meeting amid rising regional tensions

Commander of the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLA) Admiral Hu Zhongming attends the Western Pacific Naval Forum in Qingdao, Shandong province, China. (Source: Reuters)

At a press conference in Beijing, Defense Ministry spokesman Wu Qian said the Chinese Navy (PLA) had an "in-depth exchange of views" with the Commander of the US Pacific Fleet and the Commander of the Russian Navy.

“The PLA is willing to cooperate with all countries to enhance information exchange, strengthen trust and play a positive role in the common future of building a maritime community among countries,” he affirmed.

The meeting is the latest sign that communications between the Chinese and US militaries are gradually returning to normal after a communication hiatus since House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan (China) in August 2022.

Meetings also took place between naval counterparts from France, Chile and Cambodia as part of a symposium that also included officials from Japan, India, Britain and Australia amid rising regional tensions.

Last week, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had his first phone call with Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun in more than a year.

Amid increased military deployments across East Asia, US military officials have sought to maintain open channels of communication with their Chinese counterparts to enhance information sharing and reduce the risk of unforeseen incidents, he said.

A Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman reiterated China's concerns about US strategic diplomacy across the region, especially recent discussions about Japan joining the AUKUS security alliance that includes Britain, Australia and the United States.

“The US and Japan have long been tightening military cooperation, forming small groups targeting other countries using the ‘China threat’ as an excuse. This will only make the international community see clearly the nature of the alliance in the region,” he said.