Beijing: The Chinese and American militaries have agreed on a preliminary plan for archival cooperation for the upcoming year, according to an announcement made by Beijing on Wednesday. This agreement emerged from a virtual meeting held between the two nations' military representatives, as disclosed by the Chinese Defense Ministry in a concise statement.
According to Anadolu Agency, the meeting facilitated an exchange of views on military archives cooperation, culminating in a preliminary agreement outlining a cooperation plan for 2026. This recent development follows a series of high-level engagements, including Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun's initial face-to-face meeting with US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in Malaysia in October.
Subsequently, the two defense leaders engaged in discussions again in early November, following a historic summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump in South Korea. During these discussions, the defense chiefs committed to establishing military-to-military communication channels. "Admiral Dong and I also agreed that we should set up military-to-military channels to deconflict and de-escalate any problems that arise. We have more meetings on that coming soon," Hegseth mentioned in a statement on the US social media platform X.
Hegseth further emphasized that peace, stability, and maintaining good relations are the optimal objectives for both nations. Meanwhile, the Chinese Defense Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to assist the US in locating the remains of American military personnel who went missing in China during the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression.
The historical context of US-China military cooperation is highlighted by the 'Flying Tigers,' a group of volunteer US pilots who supported the Chinese Air Force during World War II. These pilots stand as a symbol of early collaboration between the two countries. Notably, some surviving members of the 'Flying Tigers' made their first visit to China in 80 years in November 2023.