China, U.S. hold military maritime consultative agreement working group meeting

The Chinese and U.S. militaries held the second working group meeting and annual session of the China-U.S. Military Maritime Consultative Agreement (MMCA) for 2025 from November 18 to 20 in Hawaii, the United States, the Chinese navy said on Saturday.

The exchanges were conducted on the basis of equality and respect, and the two sides had a candid and constructive exchange of views primarily on maritime and aerial security situations of China and the United States, the Chinese navy said in a statement.

They reviewed typical cases of encounters at sea and in the air, evaluated the execution of the Rules of Behavior for Safety of Air and Maritime Encounters, and discussed measures to improve maritime military security between the two countries, the statement said.

They also exchanged ideas on topics for the 2026 working-group meeting.

Both sides agreed that the MMCA mechanism has helped frontline forces of the two militaries interact more professionally and safely, reduce misunderstandings, avoid misjudgments and manage risks, the statement said.

The Chinese side reiterated its firm opposition to any actions carried out under the pretext of freedom of navigation or overflight that could jeopardize China's sovereignty and security.

It also firmly opposed any infringement, provocation or close-in reconnaissance targeting China, the statement said, adding that the Chinese side will continue to resolutely uphold national territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in accordance with laws and regulations and safeguard regional peace, stability and prosperity.