PLA accused of not replying to requests for dialogue

US Indo-Pacific commander says scopes for talks are possibly being withheld as a ‘bartering chip’

Calls by the American military for dialogue with the People’s Liberation Army have gone unanswered, with communication opportunities possibly being withheld as a “bartering chip”, the commander of US forces in the Pacific has said.

“We talked about some of the things that we need to do to ensure a peaceful area. One of those that is critically important for me is that of communication, and it’s precisely for this reason that I’ve repeatedly requested to speak with my counterparts in the PLA,” US Indo-Pacific Commander Admiral John C. Aquilino said at an event organised by the National Committee on US-China Relations. “It has yet to be approved.

“I do believe establishing routine communication between our two militaries is critical to responsibly manage competition, to mitigate risk and to avoid miscalculation,” he said. “I do not believe that engaging in an open and candid discussion should be used as a bartering chip.

“The stakes today are too high, and the conflict costs would be too great,” Aquilino said. “I remain ready and willing to meet with my theatre commander counterparts to have frank and open discussions.”

Aquilino spoke at the Paley Centre for Media in New York to an audience of dozens invited by the committee, just hours after returning from high-level engagements with Pacific Island nations in Papua New Guinea.

He mixed assurances that military conflict with China was not inevitable and that the US “does not seek an independent Taiwan” with indictments of Beijing’s efforts to “change and remove the current rules-based order”.

“Since [President] Xi Jinping assumed control, he has pursued a deliberate synchronisation of all forms in his national power to change and remove the current rules-based order,” Aquilino said.

“That rules-based order has benefited all the nations for nearly 80 years, and he’d like to replace them with a self-defined set of rules that is beneficial to the CCP, but at the expense of all nations, all other nations.”

During discussion, the committee’s president, Stephen Orlins, gave Chinese Major General Yin Zhongliang, who was in the audience, a chance to respond. “Honestly, I do not agree with your perspective on many issues that you expressed just now, but I think today is not a proper occasion for me to respond to [each point], so maybe we could have another chance to discuss about that,” Yin said.

“China is committed to promoting peace and stability in the region,” he said. “As an important member of the Asia-Pacific family, China is fully aware that our peaceful development is closely linked with the future of whole Asia-Pacific area.

“China has all along taken the advancement of regional stability as its own responsibility,” Yin said. “We are ready to pursue security through dialogue and cooperation in the spirit of working together for mutual beneficial result.”

Aquilino’s comments follow agreements US President Joe Biden struck with the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue and Group of Seven leaders when he visited Japan last week, part of America’s efforts to counter China in the Asia-Pacific region.

While the US leader had to cut short the rest of his Asia tour because of domestic debt-ceiling negotiations, Secretary of State Antony Blinken continued onwards to sign a series of accords with Pacific Island nations in Papua New Guinea, meetings that Aquilino took part in.

The region became an urgent priority for the Biden administration after China signed a security agreement with the Solomon Islands last year, raising concerns among Washington and its South Pacific allies that the accord would allow Beijing to send military forces to the islands.

I’ve repeatedly requested to speak with my counterparts in the PLA … It has yet to be approved

ADMIRAL JOHN C. AQUILINO, U.S. INDO-PACIFIC COMMANDER