U.S. Defence Chief Visiting China To Improve Sino-US Relations
U.S. Defence Chief Visiting China To Improve Sino-US Relations: U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis became the first Pentagon chief to visit China since 2014, starting a 3 day trip with a goal of improving security dialogue with Beijing despite increasingly fraught Sino-U.S. relations.
Mattis, a former Marine general, has been highly critical of China’s muscular military moves in the South China Sea. The U.S. military even withdrew an invitation to China to join a multinational naval exercise which will start during Mattis’ visit, upsetting Beijing.
The trip comes against the backdrop of firming tensions between Beijing and Washington over trade. Beijing is also suspicious of U.S. intentions toward self-governing and democratic Taiwan, which is armed by the United States, though China views the island as a sacred part of its territory.
Mattis, who was greeted with a floral bouquet as he exited his plane in Beijing, was cautious to avoid stoking tensions when speaking to reporters ahead of his trip. Mattis said he sought “open dialogue” at a strategic level when he met with military officials in Beijing.
A senior U.S. defence official, speaking to reporters ahead of Mattis’ trip, suggested that the United States saw room for some improvement in sanctions enforcement along China’s border with North Korea. But the official added the U.S. expected Beijing to uphold its commitments.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told reporters that military-to-military relations had always been an important part of China’s ties with the United States, despite other problems the two countries currently have.
Beijing hosted North Korean leader Kim Jong Un last week, and getting Beijing’s view of North Korea is expected to be high on Mattis’ agenda.
Mattis’ visit suggests that the Trump administration is still willing to hold military dialogue with China.
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