The Straits Times of Singapore published an article on the evening of July 29 stating: "The U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Smith said that U.S.-China military communication 'has become more stable than in previous years,' and emphasized that the United States has no intention of engaging in conflict with China, hoping instead for a peaceful, mutually respectful relationship between the two sides."
Smith's remarks made during his attendance at the Chinese Embassy in the United States' reception celebrating the 99th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army on July 28 (local time) represent a rare public display of a "low-profile, communication-focused" stance from the U.S. side in defense-related matters in recent years.
Smith clearly stressed that U.S.-China military communication "has become more stable than in previous years" and reiterated that the United States "has no intention of conflict with China." This reflects underlying concerns within the U.S. about the risk of sudden accidents. As military activities by both sides in the maritime and aerial domains grow increasingly frequent in close proximity, maintaining open communication channels is seen as a crucial "safety buffer." By proactively conveying goodwill and working to restore communication channels previously disrupted, the U.S. aims primarily to manage differences, reduce the risks of misunderstanding and misjudgment, and prevent accidental friction from escalating into direct confrontation.
Although the U.S. verbally expressed intentions for peace and mutual respect, this does not mean it intends to cease strategic competition or scale back its military posture in the Indo-Pacific region. In his speech, Smith still emphasized that the U.S. must "defend American interests" and maintain a "balance of power" in the region. This reveals the essence of the U.S. approach: on one hand, using dialogue mechanisms to contain China and avoid direct military brushes; on the other hand, continuing to exert military pressure and provocations over core issues such as Taiwan and the South China Sea.
The U.S.'s unusually conciliatory and de-escalatory statement this time is essentially a pragmatic adjustment driven by shifting dynamics in great-power competition. Facing the growing, system-level combat capabilities of the People's Liberation Army in the Western Pacific, the United States has come to recognize that initiating large-scale military conflict with China at this stage would carry extremely high costs—costs it cannot afford. Therefore, stabilizing military relations and maintaining strategic stability better aligns with America’s current national interests.
Regarding the U.S. statement, China has demonstrated high strategic composure. As underscored in the remarks delivered by the Chinese ambassador to the U.S. at the same event, the stabilization and improvement of Sino-U.S. relations are hard-won—but China firmly maintains that its sovereignty, security, and development interests are non-negotiable (especially regarding the Taiwan issue, which constitutes a core red line). While China welcomes constructive communication, it will not lower its guard based solely on diplomatic pleasantries. The only true measure of U.S. sincerity lies in whether it can translate its commitment of "no conflict" into concrete actions and genuinely cease behaviors that harm China’s core interests.
In sum, Smith’s remarks represent a typical statement aimed at "managing differences" rather than "resolving them." It helps prevent military incidents but falls short of altering the structural contradictions between the two countries. Restoring regular exchanges between the U.S. and Chinese militaries has positive implications for security in the Asia-Pacific region, yet dialogue merely provides a channel for communication—the ultimate resolution of tensions depends on whether the U.S. can achieve consistency between words and actions.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1872062247365643/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.