The pace of high-level military discussions between the United States and China has quickened, with a crisis-communications meeting likely to occur before the year’s end, according to the Pentagon.

President Joe Biden announced the renewal of these talks, which China had halted nearly two years ago following Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, during a news conference at the NATO summit. Biden revealed that after his November meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, the two nations decided to move past the 2023 “spy balloon” incident and reopen direct communication channels.

Recent Meetings and Agreements

US and Chinese defense ministers met during the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. “We established a new mechanism. There’s a direct line between Xi and me, and our military has direct access to one another,” Biden stated during a White House briefing.

Defense Department spokesman Pete Nguyen confirmed that senior US and Chinese military officials held talks in January and April, focusing on defense relations and maritime safety.

Future Engagements Planned

Nguyen mentioned ongoing discussions about future engagements, including telephone conversations between theater commanders and a crisis-communications working group meeting by year-end. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun had multiple interactions, including a teleconference in April and a meeting in May.

However, direct communication between military theater commanders has not yet been restored.

Background and Tensions

China suspended military communications in August 2022 after Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, perceiving it as a challenge to its territorial integrity. Relations worsened in early 2023 when the US shot down a Chinese balloon it accused of spying, prompting Secretary of State Antony Blinken to cancel a trip to China. Beijing insisted the balloon was a civilian airship used for meteorological research.