US-Chinese military talks resume on safety in the air and at sea after a nearly 2-year break

By LOLITA C. BALDOR
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. and Chinese defense officials have met for the first time in nearly two years to discuss unsafe and aggressive ship and aircraft incidents between their militaries in the Pacific region. The gathering Wednesday and Thursday in Hawaii restarted a dialogue Beijing abruptly ended in a dispute involving Taiwan. The meeting comes as Washington and Beijing work to expand communications and ease escalating tensions. The thaw in relations got a kick-start last November when President Joe Biden and China’s President Xi Jinping met at a summit in San Francisco. Other top-level talks have continued, including this week with a call between Biden and Xi and a visit to China by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen.