U.S. and Chinese Militaries Meet in Hawaii — Both Sides Agree: Talking Reduces Risk

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Dialogue in the Pacific

The American and Chinese militaries held their latest round of face-to-face consultations in Honolulu, Hawaii, on May 28 and 29, 2026. The discussions took place under the framework of the Military Maritime Consultative Agreement (MMCA) — a bilateral mechanism that has been in place since 1998, designed to reduce the risk of dangerous encounters between U.S. and Chinese naval and air forces in the Pacific.

China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy released a statement calling the exchange "candid and constructive." Both sides reportedly agreed that open communication channels are essential to preventing accidents and avoiding dangerous miscalculations at sea and in the air.

What Was Discussed?

The talks covered a range of practical safety topics. Officials from both sides reviewed how existing rules of conduct for air and maritime encounters have been implemented and discussed concrete steps to improve safety procedures going forward.

A central takeaway from the meeting: better communication reduces the risk of unintended escalation. In regions like the South China Sea and the broader Indo-Pacific, where U.S. and Chinese forces operate in close proximity on a regular basis, even small misunderstandings can spiral quickly.

The MMCA is designed as a twice-yearly working-level mechanism to reduce risks from naval and aerial encounters between the two powers. The May 2026 session follows a November 2025 meeting in Hawaii that had already put a 2026 follow-up on the agenda.

China's Firm Red Lines

While Beijing agreed that dialogue is useful, it also used the Hawaii forum to reiterate familiar positions. The PLA Navy statement made clear that China strongly opposes what it describes as violations of its sovereignty under the banner of "freedom of navigation and overflight."

China emphasized that it would continue to safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights in accordance with its own laws and regulations, while also seeking to uphold regional peace and stability.

This refers in particular to American Freedom of Navigation Operations (FONOPs) — regular U.S. Navy patrols conducted near disputed islands and maritime features in the South China Sea. Washington views these patrols as lawful exercises of international navigation rights. Beijing sees them as deliberate provocation.

A Contested Sea

The South China Sea remains one of the world's most strategically sensitive maritime zones. China has asserted sweeping sovereignty claims over much of the waterway — claims rejected by an international tribunal in 2016, but which Beijing continues to enforce through coast guard deployments and military infrastructure.

In 2025, Chinese coast guard vessels doubled their presence at Scarborough Shoal and significantly expanded patrols around Sabina Shoal, while attempts by neighboring states to exercise navigation rights in their own exclusive economic zones were met with harassment.

The U.S. military has increased cooperation with the Philippines and other regional partners to counter what Washington describes as destabilizing behavior by China. American military engagement with the Philippines grew substantially in 2025, including bilateral and multilateral exercises and the deployment of coastal defense systems.

Why These Talks Matter

Military-to-military communication between the U.S. and China has historically been fragile. Beijing suspended several direct channels in 2022 following the visit of then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan. Talks only gradually resumed — first virtually, then in person — beginning in 2024.

A senior U.S. military official described talks of this type as "critical to ensuring the safe operation of our military force," noting that both sides owe it to their service members to operate safely.

The Trump administration has maintained these working-level contacts as part of a broader approach that combines firm pressure on China economically and militarily with selective engagement to manage risk. The MMCA meetings represent one of the few stable institutional frameworks for direct military dialogue still functioning between the two powers.

Outlook

There are no signs that either side is ready to back down on the core disputes — Taiwan, the South China Sea, technology restrictions, or broader geopolitical competition. But the Hawaii meeting signals that both Washington and Beijing retain at least a shared interest in avoiding accidents that could escalate beyond anyone's control.

Both sides agreed to convene a follow-up session later in 2026, signaling an intention to keep communication channels open as strategic competition continues.

In an era of growing rivalry, that may be a modest achievement — but in the Pacific, modest achievements count.

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Sources:

1. Reuters – "Chinese and US militaries met in Hawaii, stressed communication, Chinese navy says" (June 1, 2026): https://www.reuters.com/world/china/chinese-us-militaries-met-hawaii-stressed-communication-chinese-navy-says-2026-06-01/
2. Ships & Ports – "US, China Hold Maritime Security Talks in Hawaii" (November 2025): https://shipsandports.com.ng/us-china-hold-maritime-security-talks-in-hawaii
3. U.S. Department of Defense / GlobalSecurity.org – "U.S., Chinese Military Officials Resume Talks on Operational Safety" (April 2024): https://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/china/2024/04/china-240405-dodnews01.htm
4. East Asia Forum – "Drifting through dispute in the South China Sea" (February 2026): https://eastasiaforum.org/2026/02/27/drifting-through-dispute-in-the-south-china-sea/
5. Harvard Belfer Center – "Freedom of Navigation in the South China Sea: A Practical Guide": https://www.belfercenter.org/publication/freedom-navigation-south-china-sea-practical-guide

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