US, China Hold First Military Talks Since Trump's Inauguration

US military officials recently met their Chinese counterparts in Shanghai to discuss rising tensions in the Indo-Pacific region. These were the first working-level talks between the two countries since US President Donald Trump returned to the White House. During the military talks, American generals openly flagged their concerns with their Chinese counterparts. They raised the issue of live-fire drills around Taiwan and called them “unsafe and unprofessional.” In response, the Chinese generals accused America of provocative actions in the Taiwan Strait. The talks come as the Trump administration increases its engagement with allies in the Indo-Pacific including Japan, the Philippines and Taiwan.