U.S.-China Military Hotline Is Dangerously Broken

Several former senior U.S. military personnel warn that U.S.-China military crisis communications systems remain highly unreliable. Mark Schiefelbein/AP Photo  

Politico: ‘Spiral into crisis’: The U.S.-China military hotline is dangerously broken 

The Pentagon just had its first virtual meeting with China's military. But former officials warn the communications gap could lead to war. 

After months of delays, the Pentagon and China’s People’s Liberation Army last week initiated their first direct contact since Biden took office. That meeting, a video call carried by the U.S.-PRC Defense Telephone Link, focused on "maintaining open channels of communication between the two militaries." 

It’s a step. But former senior U.S. military officials warn that better, and more regular, means of communication are necessary to prevent a possible future confrontation between U.S. and Chinese military forces in the Indo-Pacific region. 

“There should be a sense of urgency about this,” said retired Adm. Scott Swift, former commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet. Swift said unpredictable “triggers” may fuel a U.S.-China military conflict that could overwhelm current bilateral crisis communication systems.  

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WNU Editor: It is not only the military line of communications that are broken, but I would also say that the U.S. - China diplomat lines of communications are broken. There is little is any common ground between the U.S. and China right now, and I expect this divide to only grow with time.