The United States plans to send Michael Chase, the deputy assistant secretary of defense for China, Taiwan, and Mongolia, to China’s premier annual security forum in mid-September, according to a US official who spoke to Reuters.

Chase’s participation, which has not been previously reported, is notable as he holds a more senior position than the US representative who attended last year’s Xiangshan Forum, although his rank aligns with the Pentagon’s historical norms for such events.

In 2019, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for China Chad Sbragia attended the forum. The official, who requested anonymity, indicated that Chase's expected attendance could suggest a move towards increased working-level engagement with China amid ongoing regional tensions.

Over 90 countries and international organizations are set to send delegations to the forum, scheduled for September 12-14 in Beijing, according to Chinese state media.

Last year, Washington sent Xanthi Carras, the China Country Director in the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense, to the forum’s resumption after a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic. Carras' lower rank compared to Chase and Sbragia marked a sign of improving military relations.

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In January, Michael Chase co-chaired US-China military talks in Washington, marking the first working-level discussions between the two nations since 2022. These talks were the first such engagement since bilateral military interactions were largely suspended following then-US Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan.

The US-China relationship remains strained over contentious issues like Taiwan and the South China Sea. Both nations have shown reluctance to compromise on these "core issues." Last week, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan noted that no new agreements had been reached regarding the South China Sea during his visit to China.

China has consistently criticized US military activities in the Asia-Pacific region, including the deployment of long-range missiles in the Philippines and arms sales to Taiwan—a territory China claims as its own.

Conversely, the US has expressed what it perceives as concerns over China's actions in the South China Sea, its frequent military maneuvers around Taiwan, and the alleged lack of transparency regarding China's nuclear arsenal.

It is worth noting that the official nuclear discussions were suspended by Beijing in July in response to US arms sales to Taiwan. However, both countries have agreed that leaders from the US Indo-Pacific Command will soon hold a phone call with their counterparts in China’s southern theatre command, which oversees the southern seas.

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