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Pentagon to China: 'Can you hear me now?'
The United States now has a red phone linking it to Red China. In the years of the Cold War between the former Soviet Union and the United States, officials realized that they needed instant communication with counterparts in Moscow to avoid incidents that could spark conflict in the nuclear age. It linked the White House via the National Military Command Center with the Kremlin and quickly became known as the "red phone." Earlier today, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates tested the new defense telephone link to China for the first time, the American Forces Press Service reported, making a call to his counterpart there. Gates talked "briefly" to the Chinese Minister of National Defense, Gen. Liang Guanglie, said Bryan Whitman, a Pentagon spokesman. During the conversation, Gates congratulated Liang on his recent promotion to minister of national defense and welcomed "this important step in enhancing communications between our militaries," Whitman said. The two also discussed military relations and one of the key reasons for having such a direct link: avoidance of any miscommunications between the two countries that could lead to conflict. Liang also thanked the United States for aid given during severe winter storms his country suffered earlier this year, Whitman said. The two countries agreed to the communications system last year. The U.S. has more than 40 such links with other countries. Posted by: tu3031 2008-04-11 |
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