US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that Washington and Beijing have agreed to reopen military-to-military communication to “deconflict and deescalate” tensions. The development came after Hegseth met his Chinese counterpart Dong Jun on the sidelines of a regional summit in Malaysia, following high-level talks between President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping in South Korea.
Hegseth said both sides endorsed “peace, stability, and mutual respect” as the foundation of future relations, declaring that “the relationship between the United States and China has never been better.” The Pentagon chief confirmed that meetings to formalize these defense channels will begin soon.
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China’s defence ministry also emphasized the need to enhance dialogue, strengthen trust, and maintain a relationship “based on equality and peaceful coexistence.” The renewed cooperation follows Trump’s announcement to cut tariffs to 47% in exchange for Chinese commitments on trade, rare earth exports, and fentanyl control.
