By Guo Xiaobing and Zhao Kexin
郭晓兵，赵可馨
China and the US had the 17th China-US Defense Policy Coordination Talks from January 8 to 9. The meeting is a routine annual working dialogue mechanism between the Chinese and US militaries initiated in 2005, which was interrupted in 2022 after Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi visited China's Taiwan region. This is the first working meeting after more than a year and the second-time interaction in less than a month between the Chinese and US militaries.
1月8日至9日，第17次中美国防部工作会晤在美国华盛顿举行。该会晤是中美两军之间例行的年度工作对话机制，始于2005年，2022年美国众议长佩洛西窜访台湾地区后中断。这是时隔一年多后，中美两军首次恢复工作会晤，也是不到一个月内中美两军第二次互动。
The agenda of the meeting mainly consists of two parts. First, the two sides exchanged views on the arrangements for mil-to-mil exchanges in 2024. This means that China-US Military Maritime Consultative Agreement meetings, conversations between theatre commanders, and even meetings between the defense chiefs may be successively scheduled.
会晤议程主要有两部分：首先，双方就2024年两军交往安排交换了意见。这意味着，两军之间的海上军事安全磋商机制会议、战区主官之间的磋商，乃至国防部长会晤都可能陆续排上日程。
Second, both sides expressed their positions and concerns on current hotspot issues. China focused on three issues. Firstly, there will be no compromise or concession on the Taiwan question, and the US must adhere to the one-China principle, effectively fulfill relevant commitments, cease arming Taiwan, and oppose Taiwan's "independence". Secondly, China urged the US to reduce military deployments and provocative actions in the South China Sea and cease supporting infringements and provocations by individual countries. Thirdly, China called on the US to fully recognize the root causes of maritime and airspace security issues, strictly restrain frontline forces, and cease exaggeration and manipulation.
其次，双方就当前的热点问题表达了自己的立场和关切。中国重点谈了三个问题：一是在台湾问题上绝不会有丝毫妥协退让，美方必须恪守一个中国原则，切实将有关承诺落到实处，停止武装台湾，反对台湾“独立”；二是敦促美方减少在南海的军事部署和挑衅行动，停止对个别国家侵权挑衅提供支持；三是要求美方充分认清海空安全问题根源，严格约束一线部队，停止渲染炒作。
The US reiterated its commitments and claimed to be dedicated to maintaining "peace and stability" in the Taiwan Strait. Additionally, the US highlighted three key issues. Firstly, the US insisted on "freedom of navigation" and the right to "fly and sail anywhere international law allows" in the Indo-Pacific region. In practice, this signifies the US' intention to continue conducting various close-in reconnaissance activities in accordance with its interpretation of international law. Secondly, the US emphasized its commitment to the Indo-Pacific and global allies remains rock-solid. In other words, the US intends to continue intervening in disputes between China and its neighboring countries, causing various troubles in East Asia and Northeast Asia for China. Thirdly, the US expressed concerns regarding security issues involving third parties, such as the Ukraine crisis and recent developments in the DPRK.
美方重申对一中政策的承诺，并自称会致力于维护台湾海峡的“和平与稳定”。此外，美方还重点谈了三方面问题：一是坚持在“印太”地区“航行自由”“在国际法允许的任何地方飞行与航行”，这其实是美国要继续按照自己对国际法的解释实施各种海空抵近侦察，并以“国际裁判”身份要求被侦察目标国“专业、负责任地”配合它“安全地”开展抵近侦察；二是强调“美国对‘印太’和全球盟友的承诺依然坚若磐石”，也就是说美国要继续插手中国与周边邻国之间的纠纷，继续在东亚、东北亚给中国制造各种麻烦；三是就乌克兰危机和朝鲜最近动向等涉及第三方的安全问题表达了美国关切。
It can be seen from the concerns of the Chinese and US militaries that the two sides still have differences on some major issues.
从中美两军关切重点可以看出，双方在一些重大问题上仍存在分歧：
First, whether the US' commitments can be realized needs to be assessed based on its words and actions. Especially with the recent conclusion of Taiwan's leadership elections, it is crucial to closely monitor any potential moves by the US military.
一是美国“撑一中，反‘台独’”的承诺能不能落到实处，还需要听其言，观其行。特别是在台湾地区领导人选举刚刚结束，“台独”势力弹冠相庆之际，美军会借机搞什么幺蛾子值得高度关注。
Second, the US treats the open seas and their airspace as if they are its own, positions itself as the "guardian of global public domain security", and even disregards the territorial sovereignty of other countries. Relying on so-called crisis management, security barriers, and professional operations alone will not address the fundamental problems or mitigate conflict risks.
二是美国把公海及其上空视为“帝国的高速公路”，自命为“全球公域安全的守护者”，甚至无视其他国家的领土主权，将这条“高速公路”修进别国的领海领空。仅仅通过危机管理、“安全护栏”“专业操作”，恐怕解决不了根本问题，化解不了冲突风险。
Third, the US military considers instigating confrontations between neighboring countries and China as a crucial element of its "integrated deterrence" strategy. Whether there are regional issues or not, it may either exacerbate existing tensions or fabricate conflicts. Unless the US abandons its fundamental strategy of major-power competition with China, it is destined to play the role of a regional disruptor.
三是美军把撺掇周边国家与中国对抗作为其“一体化威慑”战略的重要一环。如果周边有事，它会火上浇油，让小事变大。如果周边无事，它也会无中生有，平地起风浪。除非它放弃对华大国竞争的根本战略，否则地区搅局者这个角色它是当定了。
China's concerns are about core interests such as sovereignty and territorial integrity and the US must genuinely respect these concerns as they are the basic prerequisite for the exchanges between the two militaries to stay on the right track. The resumption of high-level, offline meetings between the Chinese and US militaries should be seen as a positive starting point. The two sides should deepen mutual understanding through exchanges, and the US side in particular should reverse its misunderstanding of China, so as to create conditions for the stabilization of bilateral relations and even the achievement of effective cooperation on some issues.
从本质上讲，中国的诉求关乎主权和领土完整等核心利益，美方必须对此予以切实尊重，这是两军交往保持在正确轨道的基本前提。中美军方恢复高层线下会晤，应当成为一个好的开始，通过交流加深彼此的理解和认识，特别是美方应扭转对华错误认知，为双方关系企稳，乃至在一些议题上取得合作成效创造条件。
(Guo Xiaobing, director of the Center for Arms Control Studies, China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations; and Zhao Kexin, research assistant at Shanghai Institute of American Studies.)
（作者：郭晓兵，中国现代国际关系研究院军控研究中心主任；赵可馨，上海市美国问题研究所助理研究员）
Editor's note: Originally published on china.com.cn, this article is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information and opinions in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn.
