Recommencing US-China military communication channels will be one of the key issues that President Joe Biden intends to take up with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.
(Bloomberg) Over the summer, Beijing limited Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin to a single handshake with sanctioned Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu at a top military forum. Now, Li’s drop from public view could help reboot senior-level military talks between the superpowers.Most Read from BloombergHow Auto Executives Misread the UAW Ahead of Historic StrikeXi’s Missing Defense Chief Opens Door for US Military TalksEurope Is Better Prepared If Trump Wins Again, Germany’s Baerbock SaysMGM Resort
The Chinese defense chief is reportedly under probe after not being seen in public since Aug. 29 and missing engagements, fueling speculation he’s set to be replaced. His removal would eliminate one major roadblock to military talks.