Pentagon's Top Asia Official Holds Rare High-Level Discussion with Chinese Counterpart
Officials Discuss Ties Between the Nations
Overt Operator
August 03, 2023
The Pentagon's senior official for Asia engaged in a rare high-level conversation with an official from China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday, August 2. The dialogue between the two officials marks a significant interaction between senior U.S. and Chinese national security officials amid ongoing tensions between the two nations.
The Pentagon confirmed the exchange, stating that "Assistant Secretary Ratner and Director Yang discussed U.S.-PRC defense relations, as well as regional security issues." The discussion took place through official channels and reflects the efforts to maintain open lines of communication between the United States and the People's Republic of China.
The key figures involved in the dialogue were Ely Ratner, the assistant secretary of defense for Indo-Pacific security affairs, and Yang Tao, the Director-General of th Department of North American and Oceanian Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China.
The conversation gains significance in the context of the complex and often strained relations between the United States and China. The two nations have been grappling with a range of issues, including trade disputes, human rights concerns, and regional security challenges.