 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
Military Maritime Consultative Agreement (MMCA)
Summary:
On 19 January 1998, US Defense Secretary William Cohen and China's Defense Minister General Chi Haotian signed the Military Maritime Consultative Agreement (MMCA). The MMCA is the first agreement on confidence building measures between the armed forces of China and the United States, as well as the first official military agreement since 1990. Initially the agreement is directed at establishing a forum for dialogue on maritime communication issues. At its signing, Mr. Cohen stated: "As our naval and air forces have more contact, the agreement will increase understanding and reduce the chances of miscalculation." In response, General Chi said the pact "contributes to peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region and the world at large." The agreement was reached after a series of talks and visits, initiated by then Commander of the US Pacific Fleet Admiral Joseph Prueher between 1996 and 1997.
The agreement provides for operator level exchanges to discuss issues of maritime safety and communication; the accord also expands cooperation in a number related areas including search and rescue at sea, and humanitarian assistance. The first annual MMCA meeting took place in Beijing in July 1998 to establish a timeline and goals for two subsequent working group meetings that were completed in the summer of 1999. Members of the two delegations included a mix of senior and mid-grade naval surface and aviation officers as well as Air Force, Coast Guard, and Army officers from both countries. The specific charter for each working group is determined at the annual meetings.
In late1998, the first working group meeting was held in San Diego to implement the charter established by Cohen and Chi. Among the issues discussed were the techniques and procedures for communication at sea between ships and aircraft. This exchange about communication procedures was especially important because U.S. naval officers have rarely had the opportunity to communicate with Chinese ships or aircraft in an operational context. Two incidents in 1994 and 1996 underscored the need on both sides to develop a common understanding of maritime communication and operating procedures in order to avoid misunderstanding and inadvertent conflict. In 1994, a Chinese Han class submarine was trailed by a S-3 anti-submarine warfare aircraft from the USS Kitty Hawk, and in 1996 the US deployed 2 aircraft carriers near the Taiwan Strait during a crisis sparked by Chinese missile tests off Taiwan's coastline.
The second working group meeting was held in early 1999 in Qingdao at the North Sea Fleet Headquarters of the Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). During this meeting there were further discussions on maritime communication issues. In addition, tours of facilities and exchange of dialogue on a number of other issues provided opportunities for both sides to deepen their understanding of each other's capabilities and procedures. The results of the first two working group meetings were compiled in a report that will be reviewed at the next annual MMCA meeting to determine the direction of further discussion.
As the PLAN expands its operating areas and the capabilities of its fleet, encounters at sea with U.S. naval forces will become more frequent. The MMCA provides a forum to discuss any perceived deviations or differences of interpretation over international maritime regulations and to develop a common understanding of operating procedures when contact between US and Chinese military forces occur. Interactions provide a way for both sides to gain a broader understanding of the military issues from the others perspective. Chinese views on maritime issues differ from those of the U.S. in many ways and are often based on historic and cultural principles that are unfamiliar to Americans. The mission of homeland defense has traditionally been the bedrock of Chinese foreign policy, and interaction with foreign vessels beyond the scope of defense was rarely discussed. China has maintained a large coastal defense navy and has only recently begun to develop a blue water navy with power projection capability. Thus, the vast majority of their fleet is less familiar and practiced with international rules and procedures for interacting with foreign navies. Hence, the dangers of accidents and miscalculation in near shore waters with foreign naval vessels is quite high.
The MMCA is an excellent example of confidence building and mutual reassurance because it provides a venue for the US and China to expand discussions directed toward conducting safe operations on the high seas and in the air, as well as expanding bilateral military cooperation to other areas such as rescue at sea, humanitarian assistance and training.
As a result of the accidental NATO bombing of the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade, China suspended dialogue with the US in the fields of arms control and human rights and cut all military contacts including navy port calls to Hong Kong which had numbered 60 to 70 a year. The future of the MMCA and other engagement initiatives are in doubt pending the results of talks begun in November 1999 to resume military contacts. Military relations will not resume until the issue of reparations for damages to the US embassy and US consulates is resolved. Many issues divide the defense establishments of the two countries, including theater missile defense, Taiwan, closer U.S. defense ties with Japan, missile proliferation concerns, and China's military links with Russia. In other areas there appears to be hope for cooperation, including agreement on issues related to the Korean peninsula. The appointment of Admiral Prueher as ambassador to China also lends hope for future cooperation between the two militaries. Signs of a thaw emerged in late October when China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs approved a port visit in Hong Kong for the U.S. navy destroyer O'Brien, the first since the suspension of military-to-military dialogues. .
[TEXT OF AGREEMENT ON ESTABLISHING A CONSULTATION MECHANISM TO STRENGTHEN MILITARY MARITIME SAFETY]
[Sources: "Sino-US Armies Advance Ties," Beijing Review,
16-22 February 1998; "Cohen Signs, Hails Deal in China Pact Could Thwart
'Miscalculation'," Washington Times, 19 January 1998; "The Military
Maritime Consultative Agreement" Proceedings, August 1999]
This
material is produced independently for NTI by the James Martin
Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of
International Studies and does not necessarily reflect the
opinions of and has not been independently verified by NTI or
its directors, officers, employees, agents. Copyright © 2007 by
MIIS.
