The defense ministers of China and the United States held their first phone call since 2022

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin held a phone call with his Chinese counterpart on Tuesday, the first conversation between the two countries’ defense ministers in nearly 17 months.

The Pentagon said Austin and Chinese Admiral Dong Jun discussed “defense relations” and global security issues, from Russia’s unprovoked war in Ukraine to recent North Korean provocations. Austin stressed the importance of “respecting freedom of navigation on the high seas guaranteed by international law, particularly in the South China Sea,” a press release said.

Beijing has said it wants to control access to the South China Sea and use force if necessary to bring Taiwan under its control. President Joe Biden said U.S. troops would defend the democratically governed island from attack.

Tensions have also risen between China and U.S. ally the Philippines in the South China Sea, with China’s coast guard this month using high-pressure water cannons to threaten Philippine fishing vessels. China also uses collision and ramming tactics, undersea barriers and military-grade lasers to thwart Philippine supply and patrol missions.

A senior defense official who spoke on condition of anonymity told reporters ahead of the talks that the call between Austin and Dong was an “important step” in keeping communication channels open between the two military powers.

“These engagements provide us with an opportunity to prevent competition from turning into conflict by candidly expressing our concerns. This includes the conduct of the People’s Republic of China in the South China Sea and the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait,” the senior defense official said . PRC is the abbreviation of the People’s Republic of China and is the official name of the country.

The call was Austin’s first with Dong, who has served as China’s defense minister since December. This also marked Austin’s first detailed conversation with his Chinese counterpart since meeting then-Defense Minister General Wei Fenghe in Cambodia in November 2022.

Former Chinese defense minister Gen. Li Shangfu was subject to U.S. sanctions, which China said prevented him from communicating directly with Austin. Austin’s only contact with General Lee was a handshake at last year’s Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.

The senior defense official said the dialogue between U.S. and Chinese defense leaders “ensures that the People’s Republic of China has a clear understanding of where we stand on all regional and global security issues.”

The talks come as the Pentagon says there are signs that a surge in sales of weapons technology from China to Russia is helping Moscow boost its defense production as it continues to attack neighboring Ukraine.

Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters on Monday in response to a question from Voice of America that China has sold Russia “substantial amounts” of machine tool, microelectronics, optics, drone and cruise missile technology that Moscow is using to build propulsion agent for weapons.

“So this support is actively promoting Russia’s war in Ukraine and poses a significant threat to security – international security,” Ryder added.

The Associated Press reported on Friday that two senior Biden administration officials said that about 90% of Russia’s microelectronics products in 2023 and nearly 70% of Russia’s machine tool imports in the last quarter of 2023 will come from China. Russia uses the technology to build missiles, tanks and aircraft.

Officials also told The Associated Press that Chinese and Russian entities have jointly produced drones in Russia, and Chinese companies are supplying optical components for Russian tanks and armored vehicles.

The call between Austin and Dong was the latest in a series of recent conversations between U.S. and Chinese defense leaders. Gen. C.Q. Brown, the top U.S. general and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, talked with his Chinese military counterparts in December last year.

Earlier this month, the U.S. and Chinese militaries held their first working-level Military Maritime Consultative Agreement talks since 2021 in Hawaii.