Hegseth says US, China to set up direct military communication

WASHINGTON – The US and China have agreed to establish direct communication between their militaries to help avoid conflict, according to US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth. 

The purpose of the communication channels will be to “deconflict and de-escalate any problems that arise”, Mr Hegseth said in a post on social media platform X. The two countries have agreed that “peace, stability and good relations are the best path”, he added.

Officials from both nations will hold discussions to work out the details of how they will communicate, Mr Hegseth said.

The Pentagon chief and Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun met in Kuala Lumpur on Oct 31, a day after President Donald Trump’s summit with China’s Xi Jinping in South Korea, where the two leaders agreed to a landmark trade truce in a bid stabilise relations between the world’s two largest economies. 

On Nov 1, Mr Hegseth called on South-east Asia to strengthen maritime cooperation to counter what he said was worsening aggression by Beijing in the South China Sea. BLOOMBERG