US-China Tensions Halted for Joint Health Forum

US-China Joint Health Forum
US-China Joint Health Forum (photo: Facebook/ Screenshot)
By Faith MagbanuaSeptember 19th, 2018

The Chinese and US militaries put aside the tensions over trade to open a jointly organized regional armed forces health forum on Monday, September 17, 2018 in the western city of Xian.

One of China's top generals, Song Puxuan, head of China's Central Military Commission's Logistics Support Department, posed for pictures with Terry Rauch, acting US Deputy Assistant Secretary of defence, at the opening ceremony in one of Xian's top hotels.

The attendance of General Song, whose presence was not previously publicly announced, did not address the conference, which is attended by around 600 military officials from 28 countries, including US allies like Japan and Australia.

Furthermore, according to military sources, Song is close to China's President Xi Jinping and was previously head of the military's northern command, having risen rapidly up the ranks since Xi took office six years ago.

China has been vocal to highlight its cooperation with the US military despite an unpleasant trade war and Beijing's suspicion at both US support for the self-ruled island of Taiwan and its involvement in the disputed South China Sea.

Song's colleague, Chen Jingyuan, head of health at the Logistics Support Department, stated that the conference had improved relationships between the doctors and militaries of the participating nations.

"This is the first exchange between the Chinese and US militaries on military health for the Asia-Pacific, and has attracted high attention from Asia-Pacific nations," Chen said.

On the other hand, Rear Admiral Louis Tripoli, Command Surgeon of the United States Indo-Pacific Command, thanked the People's Liberation Army for its efforts in arranging the conference.

"We hope that you feel how important it is for us to be here" Tripoli said.

The event mostly featured technical discussions on preventing disease and treating injuries. China's armed forces showed off their new equipment used for medical purposes, such as aircrafts and vehicles.

The feud between US and China

China was angered in May when the United States withdrew an invitation to a major US-hosted naval drill, saying that closing the door does not promote mutual trust and cooperation.

The Rim of the Pacific exercise, known as RIMPAC and previously attended by China, is billed as the world's largest international maritime exercise and is held every two years in Hawaii every June and July.

According to the Pentagon, the withdrawal of the invitation was in response to what it sees as Beijing's militarization of islands in the South China Sea.

China's navy chief Shen Jinlong is scheduled to do a working visit to the US later this month and one of his scheduled activities is to attend an international naval forum.

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