China is Pushing the Limits
China continues to place warships and planes in extraordinary military exercises outside Taiwan, launch rockets, and ghost Defence Minister Lloyd Austin and Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. Mark Milley.
China’s silence, according to officials and analysts, is a foolish and shortsighted decision that raises the possibility of an escalation in a delicate situation.
Taipei in the time of the Fourth Taiwan Strait Crisis pic.twitter.com/bf00abpcjp
— Chason Dailey (@ChasonDailey) August 6, 2022
Even with possible rivals like China, U.S. military authorities work to keep lines of communication open in order to avoid mishaps and other errors that can escalate into a full-fledged battle.
However, the Pentagon reported that Milley’s last conversation with his Chinese counterpart, Gen. Li Zuocheng, Chief of the Joint Staff, took place on July 7.
According to a transcript from Milley’s office, the two discussed the need for keeping lines of communication open in addition to lowering risk during a secure video conference.
On the outskirts of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Austin met face-to-face with Gen. Wei Fenghe, the Chinese Army Chief, in June.
Todd Breasseale, the acting communications director for the Pentagon, wrote to Politico in an interview, “The minister has often highlighted the necessity of fully open channels of communication with China’s defense leadership and that remains true.”
China stated on Friday it was stopping some formal discussions on the safety of life at sea, as well as those involving senior-level U.S. military leaders, including regional commanding officers.
Officials indicated they are still open to communication between Austin and Milley’s rivals because the announcement does not expressly relate to them.
The revelation, said to White House spokesman John Kirby, “does not fully eliminate the opportunity for senior people of our army to talk,” but it does raise the possibility of an accident.
The Details
Kirby said on Friday that having open channels of communication can really assist you to lower your chances of making mistakes in judgment and perception.
“With this much military equipment functioning in small spaces, it’s important to keep those communications lines open, especially at this time.”
China is now conducting military exercises around Taiwan that have violated numerous rules and significantly altered the regional status quo.
This week, Beijing sent ships and aircraft beyond the middle line that separates Taiwan’s territorial seas from China and launched missiles toward Taiwan’s territory, including at least one that appeared to fly over the island.
I led a Congressional delegation to Taiwan to make crystal clear that America stands with the people of Taiwan – and all those committed to Democracy and human rights.
Check out this video of our historic visit to Taipei. pic.twitter.com/TON6zB3x4s
— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) August 3, 2022
The United States sells weaponry to Taiwan, but does not formally recognize its sovereignty, and wants to prevent an incident like the one that occurred on April 1, 2001.
This is when a Chinese J-8 fighter and an American EP-3 signals intelligence aircraft crashed in midair, igniting a global conflict.
