U.S. and Chinese military commanders hold rare phone call to avoid miscalculation

The head of all U.S. forces in the Indo-Pacific spoke to a Chinese counterpart for the first time in years, according to a statement from the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command.

The video call between the head of U.S. Indo-Pacific command Admiral Samuel Paparo and Gen. Wu Yanan, the commander of the People's Liberation Army's Southern Theater Command, on Monday was the first call between leaders in that position for several years. 

Paparo, according to the readout, spoke of how the importance of communication "between senior leaders serve to clarify intent and reduce the risk of misperception or miscalculation."