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China’s most senior military official has delivered a veiled rebuke of the US as he pledged to seek renewed military exchanges with Washington.
The remarks by Zhang Youxia, vice-chair of the Central Military Commission, China’s top military body, at the Xiangshan security forum on Monday, highlighted the challenges for the global powers to restart dialogue amid growing tensions.
“We will deepen strategic co-operation and co-ordination with Russia, and we are willing to develop military relations with the US based on mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win co-operation,” Zhang said.
But Zhang, who is second only to Chinese leader Xi Jinping in commanding the People’s Liberation Army, also accused “certain countries” of “continuing to stir trouble around the world”, criticism that was widely seen as aimed at the US. He said these countries “deliberately create turmoil, interfere in regional issues, interfere in other countries’ internal affairs and instigate colour revolutions”.
Zhang’s list of grievances, which echoed rhetoric Xi has used in the past, followed talks by Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi with US president Joe Biden, secretary of state Antony Blinken and national security adviser Jake Sullivan in Washington on Friday.
Wang and the US officials discussed a possible meeting between Xi and Biden on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit on November 11 in San Francisco.
Zhang also addressed tensions over Taiwan, one of the most sensitive issues in US-China relations. Beijing claims the country as part of its territory and has threatened to attack if Taipei refuses unification indefinitely, or if an external force takes action to cement the island’s separation from China.
“No matter who tries to split Taiwan from China, the Chinese military will not allow that under any circumstances,” the general said. “[We] will show absolutely no mercy.”
Beijing invited US defence secretary Lloyd Austin to attend the Xiangshan Forum, which is being held in person for the first time since 2019, in a move that observers interpreted as a signal for the resumption of communication between the countries’ armed forces.
China had cut off military dialogue following then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan last August. Washington sent Cynthia Xanthi Carras, China country director in the office of the under-secretary of defence, to the Xiangshan Forum in Austin’s place.
Beijing declined a meeting between its then-defence minister Li Shangfu, who is subject to US sanctions, and Austin at the Shangri-La Dialogue security forum in Singapore in June.
Li was later removed as a defence minister and cabinet member. His successor in the post, who oversees military diplomacy and would normally lead the Xiangshan Forum, has not been named.
China has used the conference to boost its ambitions of a more powerful role in the global community.
Zhang and other top Chinese military officials promoted initiatives launched by Xi, such as the Global Security Initiative, which aims to portray China as a benevolent power in contrast to the US.
