Pentagon official hails ‘stronger’ military ties with PLA at anniversary event

Senior U.S. defense officials are reporting a significant improvement in communication channels with China's military. Alvaro Smith, deputy assistant defense secretary for China, Taiwan, and Mongolia, stated that military-to-military communication is now "stronger than it has been in years."

“

Under the leadership of Secretary [Pete] Hegseth, we are actively repairing a once broken military-to-military channel and making clear, steady progress.

Smith made these remarks at a reception hosted by the Chinese embassy in Washington, D.C., to commemorate the 99th anniversary of the Chinese People's Liberation Army. His attendance marked a rare instance of a senior Pentagon official participating in such an event in recent years, signaling a potential shift in engagement.

"Under the leadership of Secretary [Pete] Hegseth, we are actively repairing a once broken military-to-military channel and making clear, steady progress," Smith said. He emphasized that the U.S. Department of Defense has adopted a new approach focused on "candid, respectful, clear conversations with genuine interest in de-escalation."

“

The department has embraced a new approach to our military relationship – one built on candid, respectful, clear conversations with genuine interest in de-escalation, while continuing to advance our nation’s priorities.

The U.S. official reiterated that Washington is not seeking conflict with China and hopes to maintain a "peaceful" and "respectful" bilateral relationship. "This is how two powerful militaries should engage, and over the last year and a half, we made this a reality," Smith added.

“

This is how two powerful militaries should engage, and over the last year and a half, we made this a reality.