Key facts
- The working group met in Washington on November 2 and 3 for its first session under the September agreement.
- Cynthia "Xanthi" Carras led the US delegation; Senior Colonel Wang Wei represented the PLA.
US and China defense officials agree to expand crisis communication channels
IN SHORT
US and Chinese defense officials met in Washington on November 2 and 3 for the first meeting of a Crisis Communications and Prevention Working Group set up under a September agreement. A Pentagon readout released November 3 said the two sides agreed on the importance of advancing practical communication measures to reduce risks and discussed additional channels for crisis management.
Who's Involved
Cynthia "Xanthi" Carras
led US delegation at the talks
Senior Colonel Wang Wei
represented China's PLA at the meeting
Crisis Communications and Prevention Working Group
hosted first working group meeting
Pentagon
released readout of the meeting
Department of War
named as continuing defense discussions
People's Liberation Army
counterpart in the talks
↳ Why This Matters
The working group is the channel the two militaries set up in September to reduce the risk of miscalculation, and its first meeting produced agreement on practical communication measures but no new mechanism beyond additional channels under discussion.