A U.S. Defense Official to Attend the 'Xiangsahan Forum' in China

Two U.S. defense officials confirmed in an interview with Voice of America that the U.S. intends to send Michael Chase, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for China, Taiwan, and Mongolia, to an annual security forum in China this month. Michael Chase holds a position higher than last year's U.S. representative at the 'Xiangsahan Forum,' but his rank is historically equivalent to that of Pentagon representatives who have attended this annual meeting. One official, speaking on condition of anonymity to Voice of America, described Chase's attendance at the upcoming meeting as part of the 'ongoing U.S. engagement.' He stated that this participation is interactive to keep military communication lines open between the two countries and ensure that China has a clear understanding of the U.S. position on global security issues. This year's meeting follows a direct meeting between U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and his Chinese counterpart, Dong Jun, in late May in Singapore. The Chinese Military Science Society established the Beijing Security Forum, or Xiangsahan Forum, in 2006 to play a larger role in regional military diplomacy. The U.S. Department of Defense, the Pentagon, did not send a representative to this security forum from 2020 to 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A former aide to the New York governor was accused of 'acting in favor of the Chinese government.' Following Sullivan's visit to Beijing, the U.S. and China expressed hope for 'constructive negotiations.' The visit of the U.S. National Security Advisor to Beijing aims to manage 'tense relations' with China.