US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun met on Friday, their first face-to-face meeting in two years, as Washington and Beijing seek to stabilise military relations and avert a crisis in Asia, Reuters reports.
The defence officials met in Singapore on the sidelines of Asia’s premier defence summit, the Shangri-La Dialogue. The Philippine president was due to address the meeting later in the day, which is expected to touch on sensitive claims over the South China Sea.
The military ministers will discuss US-China relations, as well as the wars in Ukraine and Gaza and tensions in the South China Sea.
During his meeting with Dong, Austin expressed concern about Chinese military activity near Taiwan, including following the island’s presidential election and the inauguration of President Lai Ching-te this month, US Air Force Major General Patrick Ryder said in a statement. Ryder said after the 75-minute meeting:
The secretary expressed concern about recent provocative PLA activity around the Taiwan Strait, and he reiterated that the PRC should not use Taiwan’s political transition – part of a normal, routine democratic process – as a pretext for coercive measures.
He was referring to the People’s Liberation Army and the People’s Republic of China.
Dong warned Austin that the US should not interfere in China’s affairs regarding Taiwan, defence ministry spokesman Wu Qian told reporters. Dong quoted the spokesman as saying:
The US approach to Taiwan violates commitments made by the United States and sends the wrong signal to “separatist forces” in Taiwan.
Both sides, however, stressed the importance of keeping military-to-military ties open, and a senior US defence official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the meeting marked an “important step” in opening channels of communication.
The official said Austin was “firm but professional” and touched on China’s nuclear, space and cyber developments.
The 21st Shangri-La Dialogue, held annually by the IISS in Singapore, brings together military and political leaders to discuss security issues. It will finish on June 2.
