A Defence spokesperson has confirmed the half-day meeting occurred, saying in a statement “the dialogue was conducted in a professional atmosphere, with both sides exchanging views on regional security issues”.
It’s the first formal meeting between Australian and Chinese Defence officials since 2019, and comes one week after China responded angrily to the AUKUS nuclear submarines deal, accusing Australia, the United States and United Kingdom of embarking on a “path of error and danger”.
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The Canberra meeting is the Australian government’s latest step towards trying to stabilise the relationship with Beijing, amid concerns over China’s growing military presence in the region.
In November, Defence Minister Richard Marles met his Chinese counterpart, General Wei Feng, on the sidelines of the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ summit in Cambodia, expressing a desire to maintain the lines of communication between the two nations’ militaries.
