July 14, 2021

Biden administration looks to set up 'red phone' to China for emergency communications

Source: CNN

Journalist: Kylie Atwood

The Biden administration is examining the possibility of setting up an emergency hotline with the Chinese government similar to the so-called "red phone" established between the US and the Soviet Union during the Cold War, which allowed for direct communication with the Kremlin as a way to avert nuclear war.

While the concept is still in its infancy and has yet to be formally raised with the Chinese, the Biden administration wants to develop a rapid communication tool that could be folded into a broader effort to reduce the risk of conflict between the US and China, according to a US official and another source familiar with early conversations about the device.

Read the full story and more from CNN.

Author

  • David Feith

    Adjunct Senior Fellow, Indo-Pacific Security Program

    David Feith served as U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs. Before that, he was an editorial writer for The Wall Street Journal in Hong ...