Chinese, US foreign, defense chiefs’ calls send a clear signal: Global Times editorial

On Tuesday, Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun held a video talk with US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth at the latter's request. On Wednesday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, held a phone conversation with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Both calls, just hours apart, garnered widespread global attention. Within a week of China's V-Day military parade on September 3, China and the US held high-level dialogue on diplomacy and military security, sending a strong signal: Despite differences, both sides are determined to maintain a stable and controllable bilateral relationship through multiple channels, including high-level dialogues, and to move forward in constructive direction under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state.

The two phone talks also clearly show that China and the US must and can maintain communication. The two foreign chiefs said the call was "timely, necessary and fruitful," and stressed the need to further leverage the strategic leading role of head-of-state diplomacy in China-US relations. The call between the two defense ministers marked the first high-level military exchange between China and the US during US President Donald Trump's second term, highlighting the shared need for both sides to maintain communication and avoid miscalculations in the military security field. During the call, the Chinese side reiterated its clear bottom line to the US: respect China's core interests and stop provocation and instigation on the Taiwan question and the South China Sea issue. According to US media reports, Hegseth also made it clear during the call that the US "does not seek conflict with China." The two calls showed the world the shared expectation of both sides to develop a healthy and stable relationship, consistent with the important consensus of the two heads of state.

The latest talks between the Chinese and US diplomatic and defense chiefs are another sign of the continued warming of China-US relations this year. Prior to this, from Geneva and London to Stockholm, the first phase of high-level economic and trade consultations between China and the US had been on the right track, injecting positive and certain expectations into the world economy and international markets. Now, China and the US have extended their high-level dialogue to the diplomatic and security fields, demonstrating that both sides are earnestly implementing the consensus reached by the heads of state and injecting more stability and predictability into bilateral relations. Against the backdrop of global turmoil and frequent regional hotspots, the increased frequency of high-level communication between China and the US not only significantly reduces the risk of misunderstanding and miscalculation but also creates favorable conditions for addressing global challenges such as global public security and stable supply chains.

While the high-level phone calls have sent positive signals, exchanges at various levels between China and the US are also warming up. Almost at the same time, US media reported that a bipartisan delegation from the US House of Representatives is planning a visit to China in September. If the trip takes place, it would be the first in six years. Earlier, descendants of the American "Flying Tigers" veterans participated in the military parade on September 3. From the bipartisan willingness of communication with China on Capitol Hill to the "gentle breeze of warmth" in people-to-people exchanges, all have created a favorable atmosphere for improving China-US bilateral relations, proving that there has never been a lack of momentum for moving in a positive direction between China and the US.

On Wednesday, the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai released its 2025 China Business Report, showing that nearly half of the surveyed US companies urged the US government to completely remove "all tariffs" imposed on Chinese goods, and the goal of using tariff policies to promote the "reshoring" of manufacturing back to the US seems almost certainly futile. These "negative examples" of failed attempts to "decouple" from China have undoubtedly become an objective force pushing Washington's China policy back toward pragmatism and rationality. The persistent calls for engagement with China from US society repeatedly demonstrate to politicians in Washington an objective reality: the US cannot do without China, just as China also needs the US.

At the same time, people also see that while seeking dialogue with China, Washington has not stopped its containment and pressure tactics against China. During the call, the US defense secretary still emphasized that "the US has vital interests in the Asia-Pacific, the priority theater, and will resolutely protect those interests," leaving room to justify interfering in China's internal affairs and meddling in Asia-Pacific affairs. In the phone conversation, Wang urged the US to "exercise caution in its words and actions," while Dong warned in the video talk with Hegseth that "acts of containment or deterrence against China will not succeed, nor will interference in China's affairs." China's position has remained consistent, once again pointing out that the root cause of negative factors in the current China-US relationship lies in Washington's failure to "calibrate" its perception of China and correct its wrongful behavior. If the US truly wishes to promote healthy and stable bilateral relations, it should earnestly listen to China's voice and truly change its course.

Currently, China-US relations are at a crucial stage of moving forward under pressure. The US should abandon zero-sum thinking, end its containment policy toward China, and take concrete actions to respond to China's goodwill for cooperation. We expect the US to work together with China to faithfully implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, show broad vision and shoulder great responsibilities, uphold mutual benefit and win-win results, focus on peace and development, inject more stability and positive energy into the world, and make new contributions to peace and prosperity for humanity.