China says plans for talks with US military are in the works

China said efforts to facilitate talks with the US military are in their early stages, a development that could lead to an easing of tensions spurred by Beijing’s recent ramping up of naval activity. 

“There have been some preliminary plans and arrangements for exchanges in the foreseeable future,” Defence Ministry spokesman Wu Qian said on Feb 27 at a regular briefing in Beijing. He said more information would be released “in due course”, without elaborating.

“It is hoped that China-US military-to-military relations get off to a good start and continue to grow further,” Mr Wu said, referring to President Donald Trump’s return to the White House in January. 

Talks between the armed forces of the world’s two superpowers could ease some mounting sources of friction, even as the Trump administration takes aim at China over a slew of issues including semiconductor access, investment and tariffs. 

In response to the Trump administration’s initial moves,

China has urged calm, narrowly targeting US products with tariffs

designed to avoid major blowback on its own economy while signaling it has more ways to hit American companies if needed.

The Chinese navy has raised worries in Taiwan, Vietnam, Australia and New Zealand recently with a series of drills. In addition, last week the Philippines said a Chinese navy helicopter carried out “dangerous” manoeuvres near one of its aircraft over the South China Sea, where Beijing makes sweeping territorial claims.

Still, Beijing and Washington appear keen to keep their differences from spiraling. Mr Trump has suggested a trade deal with China is possible and indicated he’s keen to speak with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. And last week Vice-Premier He Lifeng and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent discussed the two nations’ differences on trade.

The last publicly known contact between senior Chinese and American military officials was in September 2024, during the Biden administration, when the commanders overseeing operations in the South China Sea held a call. And while Mr Trump signalled in early February that he would be speaking with Mr Xi “very soon”, that conversation has yet to take place. BLOOMBERG