US, China to elevate military talks in bid to ease tensions

WASHINGTON • Officials in Washington and Beijing have agreed to high-level conversations between their militaries, according to a person familiar with the matter.

During a 31/2-hour virtual summit with President Joe Biden last Monday, Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to support such discussions between the US military and top officials from the People's Liberation Army, including the vice-chairman of the country's Central Military Commission, said a source who asked not to be identified.

The White House is now defining a strategy on how to approach these engagements, including in the areas of cyber security, space and nuclear weapons, as well as testing and deployment issues of concern to the US, the person said.

The agreement to elevate military ties marks a step towards re-establishing regular channels of high-level communication between them and comes after months of escalating tensions.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in a speech yesterday: "China and the United States are the world's largest developing and developed countries. Whether they can manage their relations well bears on the future of the world. That's the 'question of the century', and the two countries must come up with a good answer together."

Meanwhile, the US and Taiwan will hold a second session of an economic dialogue launched last year in the face of rising pressure on the island from China, the US State Department said on Friday.

Mr Jose Fernandez, US undersecretary for economic growth, energy and the environment, will lead the second US-Taiwan Economic Prosperity Partnership Dialogue tomorrow, it said.

The dialogue will see the Biden administration continue engaging Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its own territory.

Separately, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is considering a diplomatic boycott of the Winter Olympics in Beijing next year in protest against China's record on human rights, the Times reported yesterday.

Mr Biden confirmed on Thursday that the US is considering a similar boycott of the Games.

BLOOMBERG, REUTERS