The Facts
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan has stated that Pres. Joe Biden will push to reestablish military-to-military ties with China — from senior leadership to the tactical operational level and “on the water and in the air in the Indo-Pacific” — when he meets with Chinese Pres. Xi Jinping on Wednesday.
Sullivan’s comments on Sunday came days after the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. CQ Brown Jr., commented during a trip to Tokyo that he was “hopeful” the US and China would resume communicating militarily to “ensure there is no miscalculation” between the two countries.
The Spin
Democratic narrative
The Biden administration recognizes that reengaging with China militarily is crucial for the security of the country and world. This is yet another positive step in that direction following several high-level interactions between American and Chinese officials. This is what diplomacy looks like, and the administration is doing an exemplary job of balancing concessions with warnings.
Republican narrative
If this is Biden’s idea of diplomacy, he better stop soon in order to save the US from catastrophe. Biden’s approach has led to repeated concessions that have brought nothing in return from China. There’s a list of close to a dozen demands the president should make of China before continuing to make any agreements that benefit China militarily or otherwise.
