U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on the 11th that although Beijing’s government has become increasingly aggressive in Asia, including around Taiwan, the United States will still do its part to manage tensions with mainland China and prevent conflict .
Relations between the United States and China have been strained in recent months, with the world’s two largest economies clashing over everything from Taiwan and China’s human rights records to China’s military activities in the South China Sea.
Austin held a bilateral meeting with Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe on the sidelines of the “Shangri-La Dialogue” at the Asian Security Conference in Singapore on the 10th. Both sides reiterated their desire to better deal with each other, although there was no sign that the two countries were resolving their differences. any breakthroughs.
Austin said on the “Shangri-La Dialogue” that the United States will continue to stand with its allies, including Taiwan. “This is especially important as the People’s Republic of China takes a more coercive and aggressive approach to its territorial claims,” he said.
Austin also mentioned that the number of unsafe and unprofessional contacts between Chinese mainland aircraft and ships and aircraft and ships of other countries has increased, which is worrying.
Austin said U.S. policy toward Taiwan is to continue to oppose any unilateral change in the status quo. “Our policy has not changed. Sadly, that does not appear to be the case for the People’s Republic of China.” However, he added: “We will do our part to manage these tensions responsibly to prevent conflict. and pursue peace and prosperity.”
(Editor-in-Chief: Zhuang Yanyu)
