WASHINGTON (AP) — Within hours of an Air Force F-22 downing a giant Chinese balloon that had crossed the United States, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin reached out to his Chinese counterpart via a special crisis line, aiming for a quick general-to-general talk that could explain things and ease tensions.
But Austin’s effort Saturday fell flat when Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe declined to get on the line, the Pentagon says.
Ratner accused China of using vital channels of communication simply as a blunter messaging tool, shutting them down or opening them up again to underscore China’s displeasure or pleasure with the U.S.
China’s resistance to military hotlines as tensions increase puts more urgency on efforts by President Joe Biden and his top civilian diplomats and security aides to build up their own communication channels with President Xi Jinping and other top Chinese political officials, for situations where military hotlines may go unanswered, U.S. officials and China experts say.
Both U.S. and Chinese militaries are building up for a possible confrontation over U.S.-backed self-ruled Taiwan, which China claims as its territory. The next flare-up seems to be only a matter of time. It could happen in an anticipated event like House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s promised visit to Taiwan, or in the 2001 clash between Chinese fighter jets and US Navy EP-3 reconnaissance planes in the South China Sea. Without real-time dialogue between commanders, the United States and China would have one less chance of avoiding a major conflict.
Under the 2008 agreement, the Sino-American military hotline was essentially a multi-step process, in which one capital could send requests for joint calls or video conferences between executives to the other via encrypted lines. relay to the capital of The agreement gives the other side 48 hours to respond, but nothing in the agreement prevents government officials from speaking immediately. When the U.S. calls, current and former U.S. officials sometimes say Chinese officials don’t even answer.
Former deputy defence secretary and negotiator David Sedney said it took Washington decades to get Beijing to agree to the current military crisis communications system.
Test calls from Americans on the hotline will be accepted, he said. Also, if an American calls to celebrate a Chinese holiday, a Chinese official will answer the call and thank them. he said he would.
