Global Strike commander visits China: Talks nuclear deterrence, bilateral cooperation

by Kate Blais
Air Force Global Strike Command Public Affairs

11/19/2013 - BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. -- In an effort to help foster Chinese-U.S. communication and mutual understanding, Lt. Gen. Stephen Wilson, commander of Air Force Global Strike Command, attended the Fifth Annual Conference on China-U.S. Security Relations and Cooperation in Beijing, Nov. 13-14.

Wilson, the first operational commander from the U.S. military to participate in the conference, spoke to conference attendees, providing an Airman's perspective on nuclear deterrence and to communicate the importance of relationships between the two nations.

"We no longer live in the Cold War. As a result, the security environment has changed and so has deterrence," Wilson said. "The fundamental role of American nuclear weapons is to prevent nuclear attack on the United States, its allies and partners. Our goal is to create the conditions in which nuclear weapons are never used by U.S. adversaries or by the United States.

"As we continue to develop our bilateral relationship, including the military-to-military aspect, it is important that we find ways to build trust, reduce risk of miscalculation, and manage friction between our forces," he added.

The president and Air Force leadership have expressed how vital ongoing Chinese-U.S. dialogue is to strategic stability for both nations.

In a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping this past summer, President Obama said he believes "both of us agree that continuous and candid and constructive conversation and communication is critically important to shaping our relationship for years to come."

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III met with People's Liberation Army military leaders in September, saying that opening up lines of communication with China is good for the United States.

"My biggest takeaway was I think we can communicate -- we can cooperate in a way that helps prevent misinformation and miscommunication (and) accidental confrontation," Welsh said to the Defense Writers Group Nov. 13. "There are opportunities to continue that kind of engagement. Any step forward is a good step right now."

The Global Strike commander, accompanied by Dirk Deverill, AFGSC political advisor, was invited to attend and speak at the conference by Stanford University's Center for International Security and Cooperation.

"The China Institute of International Studies and Stanford's CISAC have hosted this conference over the years to bring together experts from both countries to discuss political and military issues in an academic setting," Deverill said.

In addition to discussing strategic deterrence, Wilson highlighted the command's efforts toward safe, secure and effective oversight of the nuclear mission. He noted both nations have a strong tradition of maintaining positive control of nuclear forces. However, he encouraged Chinese officials to share information on the measures they are developing to ensure positive control of their road-mobile intercontinental ballistic missiles and nuclear submarine program.

Wilson said he appreciated his opportunity to engage on behalf of AFGSC and the American nuclear enterprise, experiencing two-way U.S.-Chinese dialogue first hand.

"I think our time interacting and collaborating with Chinese officials served as a productive platform for future discussions regarding strategic stability," Wilson said. "I sincerely appreciate the hospitality of our hosts and the invitation to participate."

He continued, "The United States is committed to maintaining strategic stability in our U.S.-China relationship, and supports dialogue on nuclear affairs aimed at building strategic trust and fostering a more stable and resilient security relationship. My sincere hope is this trip will contribute to the strengthening and deepening of U.S.-China relations."