Pentagon Chief Convenes First Meeting Of China Task Force - Spokesman

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 02nd March, 2021) US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin conducted his first meeting of the China Task Force with dozens of civilian and military experts, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said on Monday.

"Today's meeting is intended to formalize the mission, timing, and outputs of the Task Force as they work toward a baseline of DoD [Department of Defense] policies, programs and processes on China-related matters," Kirby said in a statement via Twitter.

The task force will be working on an interagency basis and consulting with Congress, he added.

Most of the group's findings will be classified, Kirby noted.

US President Joe Biden announced the creation of a new China Task Force in mid-February. The Pentagon said in a fact sheet that it will review high-priority matters related to Beijing, including bilateral defense relations, intelligence and US alliances and partnerships and issue recommendations within the next four months.