Overview
- The face-to-face encounter between U.S. Pacific commander John V. Paparo and China’s Eastern Theater Command commander Yang Zhibin took place at a multilateral conference in Victoria, British Columbia, held Monday through Wednesday, Aug. 31–Sept. 2.
- Both U.S. and Chinese officials confirmed the meeting and said the two discussed the importance of sustaining high-level military-to-military dialogue to reduce the risk of miscalculation between their forces.
- The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command released a photograph of Paparo and Yang together and China’s Ministry of National Defense publicly noted Yang’s attendance, creating a transparent record of the contact.
- Yang leads the Eastern Theater Command, the PLA formation responsible for Taiwan-area operations, so his participation carries direct relevance for cross-strait stability and crisis management.
- Analysts say using a Canada-hosted multilateral forum lowers diplomatic risk and helps preserve channels for crisis prevention, and observers will watch for follow-up contacts or formal mechanisms that could make the talks routine.