U.S., Chinese defense chiefs hold first talks since late 2022

April 16 (UPI) -- U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with his Chinese counterpart, Adm. Dong Jun, on Tuesday, the Pentagon said, marking the first time they have spoken and the first communication between the heads of their two militaries since November 2022.

Austin and Dong, China's minister of Defense, spoke via video teleconference Tuesday, discussing U.S.-China defense relations as well as regional and global security issues, the Pentagon said in a statement.

In its own statement, China's Ministry of Defense said Dong and Austin are committing to promoting the stability and improving bilateral relations.

Communications between the militaries of the United States and China came to an abrupt end in August 2022 when Beijing suspended military-to-military exchanges with Washington in anger over then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, a democratic and self-governing island Beijing sees as a rogue province it has vowed to retake by force if necessary.

The heads of their two militaries last spoke on Nov. 22, 2022, on the sidelines of a defense ministers meeting in Cambodia, with Austin speaking to Gen. Wei Fenghe, who would be replaced in the coming March via retirement by Gen. Li Shangfu, a man under U.S. sanctions, which further complicated the issue.

Li was removed in October after last being seen months earlier. Dong was appointed to defense minister in December, only after U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping agreed in November to resume high-level military-to-military communication.

According to the Pentagon statement, Austin on Tuesday emphasized to Dong "the importance of continuing to open lines of military-to-military communication" between their two countries, while reaffirming the November agreement by Biden and Xi to resume telephone conversations between their militaries' commanders.

Taiwan was also discussed during the talk, with Dong stating issues concerning the island are at "the core of China's core interests, and China's core interests must not be compromised."

"The Chinese People's Liberation Army will never tolerate any 'Taiwan independence' separatist activities or external support," Dong told Austin, according to China's Defense Ministry, seemingly referring to the Biden administration's aims to strength U.S.-Taiwan relations, including militarily.

Taiwan has been a divisive issue between the United States and China, as has been Beijing's growing assertiveness in the South China Sea, as it has come into conflict with neighbors in particular the Philippines, as it lays rejected claims to much of the region.

Austin highlighted for Dong "the importance of respect for high seas freedom of navigation guaranteed under international law, especially in the South China Sea."

"The secretary also reiterated that the United states will continue to fly, sail and operate -- safely and responsibly -- wherever international law allows," the Pentagon said.

The two commanders also discussed Russia's war against Ukraine and North Korean provocations, among other issues, it added.