US, China Launch First Crisis Communications Working Group - Pentagon

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 30th October, 2020) US and Chinese officials completed two-day virtual conference to inaugurate the first Crisis Communications Working Group between the two nations, the Defense Department said in a press release.

"On October 28 and 29, 2020, US and Chinese defense officials convened the first Crisis Communications Working Group by video teleconference to discuss concepts of crisis communications, crisis prevention, and crisis management," the release said on Thursday.

The meeting provided an opportunity to build mutual understanding between the US military and the People's Liberation Army (PLA) on principles to prevent and manage crisis and reduce risk to forces, the release also said.

The two sides agreed on the importance of establishing mechanisms for timely communication during a crisis, as well as the need to maintain regular communication channels to prevent crisis and conduct post-crisis assessment, the release added.

The US delegation included representatives from the Defense secretary's office, the Joint Staff, and US Indo-Pacific Command. The Chinese delegation included representatives of the Central Military Commission's (CMC) Office for International Military Cooperation, the CMC Joint Staff and the PLA Southern Theater Command, according to the release.