US expected to send senior Pentagon official to China military forum

4/9/2024 16:45

        The United States is set to send Michael Chase, the deputy assistant secretary of defence for China, Taiwan and Mongolia, to China's top annual security forum in mid-September, a U.S. official told Reuters.
        
        The choice of Chase has not been previously reported. He is more senior than the U.S. official who attended the Xiangshan Forum last year, but his rank is in line with historical norms for the Pentagon.
        
        There is some hope that this could signal deeper working-level engagement with China amid regional disputes. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Chase's expected attendance was not unprecedented, but sent a message that the United States prioritises engagement at the military level with China even at a time of heightened tensions.
        
        More than 90 countries and international organisations plan to send delegations to the Sept. 12-14 forum in Beijing, Chinese state media reported Wednesday.