On June 15, Chinese media reported that the Chinese and US militaries have reached a framework agreement on dialogue and will soon negotiate a code of conduct to prevent the risk of aerial clashes.

A US officer on a P-8A Poseidon patrol aircraft points to a photo of an artificial island illegally built by China in the East Sea - Photo: Reuters.

The code of conduct will include guidelines to prevent miscalculations when US and Chinese military aircraft operate in close proximity in the skies, according to China Daily. A Chinese defense ministry official said the two countries' militaries could hold joint exercises.

The exercise will be based on a code of conduct to ensure that the two militaries strictly and fully implement its guidelines. China’s Defense Ministry also expressed hope that the dialogue agreement “will open a new chapter for the two militaries to discuss issues of common concern.”

Beijing says the guidelines will help reduce the risk of miscalculation or accidents when military aircraft from both countries operate in close proximity, and it wants to reach a consensus on the guidelines by September.

Last week, US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter hosted Mr. Fan Changlong, Vice Chairman of China’s Central Military Commission, in Washington. Mr. Carter reiterated his call for China to immediately stop its illegal land reclamation and construction of artificial islands in the East Sea.

Tensions between the US and China escalated after Washington sent a patrol plane to the waters where Beijing was illegally building artificial islands. At that time, the Chinese navy sent a signal to expel the US plane from the area.

(According to TTO)