Chinese, US militaries should ensure ‘first button of a shirt’ must be put right: PLA lieutenant general

China welcomes the US department of defense delegation to attend the ongoing Beijing Xiangshan Forum, and it's significant for the two militaries to maintain communication in order to avoid misjudgments and to better manage differences and risks, Lieutenant General He Lei, former vice president of the Academy of Military Sciences of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), told the Global Times on Thursday on the sidelines of the 11th Beijing Xiangshan Forum.

According to earlier foreign media reports, the US Pentagon was sending Michael Chase, the deputy assistant secretary of defense, to attend the Beijing Xiangshan Forum. Chase is more senior than the US representative who attended last year’s security sforum, according to the reports.
When asked about the possible interactions with US military officers, He told reporters that China welcomes their visits and looks forward to conducting positive exchanges.

“The military-to-military relationship between China and the US is a stabilizer of bilateral relations,” said He. “And exchanges and cooperation between the two militaries are constructive for strengthening strategic communication, avoiding miscalculations, and managing divergences and risks.”

“Any communication is better than no communication,” He noted.

Ahead of the ongoing Beijing Xiangshan Forum, the theater commanders of the Chinese and US militaries on Tuesday had a video teleconference, marking the resumption of all military communication mechanisms agreed by the two heads of state at the San Francisco meeting in November 2023.

Earlier this year, high-level communication between the two militaries took place on May 31 when Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun met with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin during the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. The 17th China-US Defense Policy Coordination Talks convened in January in Washington, DC, and a China-US Military Maritime Consultative Agreement work group meeting took place in April in Hawaii.

“Currently, the relationship between Chinese and US militaries is developing in a positive way,” He said, “To some extent, it is the stabilizer and the ballast stone of bilateral ties.”

According to He, a meeting between the Pentagon delegation and the Chinese military at an equivalent level is likely to occur. “During the possible talks, Chinese side may further clarify its firm position and principles on China’s core interests.”

However, the lieutenant general also noted that with repetitive hyping of the “China threat” rhetoric, the US still holds misconceptions about China's development.

To properly handle the relationship between the two militaries, we must solve the issue of strategic perception, just like the first button of a shirt that must be put right, said He.

“Do the Chinese and American militaries perceive each other as friends, partners, or rivals? Is cooperation or competition the mainstream? A clear understanding of these issues is the most fundamental prerequisite for the correct handling of military-to-military relations,” said He.

In addition, the two sides should implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state. “We should do what we say and do without empty promises. We should never say one thing and do another,” He said, alluding to America's record of not keeping its promises.

China follows a path of peaceful development, and upholds the principle that all countries, big or small, strong or weak, rich or poor, should be treated equally. “China respects the international order based on the UN Charter, while the US thinks Washington dominates the world, and it wants to keep its hegemony forever,” He said.

“In fact, with its rapid development, China is by no means to become the hegemon of the world. The purpose of China's development is ensure a happier and better life for the Chinese people,” He stated. We will not engage in the so-called competition with any other country.”

China's development represents a force for world peace, and the strength of China's military is the growth of the force for resolutely defending national interests and safeguarding world peace, the lieutenant general said, adding that the Beijing Xiangshan Forum has highlighted peace or security for four consecutive sessions in its theme.

We hope that the US delegation can enjoy themselves during the forum and make a contribution to the development of friendly relations between the two militaries, He said.