International Desk:
WASHINGTON, November 2, 2025 — The United States and China have agreed to revive suspended military-to-military communication channels in an effort to “deconflict and deescalate” tensions between the two powers, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Saturday.
Hegseth made the announcement following a meeting with Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun on the sidelines of a regional summit in Malaysia. The meeting took place a day after Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump held bilateral talks in South Korea.
“I just spoke to President Trump, and we agree — the relationship between the United States and China has never been better,” Hegseth said in a post on social media platform X. He added that he had also spoken with Dong again after their in-person discussion.
“The Admiral and I agree that peace, stability, and good relations are the best path for our two great and strong countries,” Hegseth said, describing their engagement as a step toward “strength, mutual respect, and positive relations.”
The US defense chief stated that both sides agreed to re-establish military communication channels aimed at resolving potential conflicts and preventing escalation. Similar channels have existed in the past but have often gone inactive during periods of heightened tension.
“We have more meetings on that coming soon,” Hegseth said, without providing further details. Beijing has not yet issued an official statement on the development.
A readout from China’s Ministry of National Defense quoted Minister Dong Jun as saying that both countries should “strengthen policy-level dialogue to enhance trust and dispel uncertainty,” and build a bilateral military relationship “characterized by equality, respect, peaceful coexistence, and stable positive momentum.”
Earlier this year, Hegseth had warned that China was “credibly preparing” to use military force to alter the balance of power in Asia — a statement that drew a sharp response from Beijing.
China continues to claim nearly the entire South China Sea, despite overlapping territorial claims by several neighboring countries, many of which are close allies of the United States.
Tensions have also periodically increased around Taiwan, which Beijing considers a part of its territory and strongly opposes any official foreign engagement with. A 2022 visit to Taiwan by then–US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi prompted China to conduct extensive military drills around the island.