What’s new: Chinese and U.S. officials held the first round of consultations on maritime affairs in Beijing last week, where both sides called for strengthened communications to “avoid misunderstanding and misjudgment,” the foreign ministry said.
The meeting was held on Friday and co-hosted by Hong Liang, director-general of the foreign ministry’s Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs, and U.S. State Department China Coordinator Mark Lambert.
Beijing urged Washington to respect China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights, expressing “grave concerns over the U.S.’ increased military presence in the region,” according to a Saturday statement from the foreign ministry.
The U.S. flagged concerns over China’s actions in the South China Sea during the meeting which it described as “substantive, constructive and candid,” according to a Friday statement released by the U.S. State Department.
The background: In August, the foreign ministry defended the China Coast Guard’s actions in the South China Sea, where it used water cannons to drive away Philippine vessels trying to deliver supplies to a grounded Philippine warship at Ren’ai Jiao, a submerged reef also known as the Second Thomas Shoal.
China-U.S. relations have shown signs of improvement in recent months, following visits by multiple high-level U.S. officials to China since June and Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s October trip to the U.S.
Contact reporter Kelly Wang (jingzhewang@caixin.com) and editor Bertrand Teo (bertrandteo@caixin.com)
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