2023-06-03 05:49:29
The Asia-Pacific Security Forum “Shangri-La Dialogue” held in Singapore entered its second day today (6/3). US Secretary of Defense Austin mentioned in his speech earlier that he was worried regarding the lack of high-level military communication between the US and China. In this regard, two senior officials of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army responded today that the U.S. sanctions once morest Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu are “unfair.” “
Li Shangfu was sanctioned by the US in 2018 for participating in China’s procurement of arms from Russia. The United States had earlier asked Beijing to arrange a formal meeting between the defense ministers of the two countries at the Shangri-La Dialogue Security Forum, which was rejected. China asked the United States to lift the sanctions once morest Li Shangfu. The United States once expressed its consideration, but later said it had no such plan.
Zhao Xiaozhuo, vice president of the PLA Academy of Military Science, told reporters that Austin’s remarks regarding not being able to talk with Li Shangfu showed that “he is very concerned and a little anxious.”
Zhao Xiaozhuo said, “Talks are possible, but this aggressive attitude cannot be used. The United States should stop encircling China, especially not interfering in China’s internal affairs with Taiwan, and then China will be willing to talk.”
Zhao Xiaozhuo said that the military hotline between the two countries is still open and can communicate at any time.
Lieutenant General He Lei of the People’s Liberation Army, who attended the meeting, told reporters that the U.S. sanction on Li Shangfu was unfair. He also said that the U.S. should “take full responsibility” for the lack of high-level talks between the two sides in Singapore.
He Lei said, “The United States is now continuing to challenge China’s bottom line and undermine US-China relations.” “Under such an atmosphere, the time for Chinese and US ministers to meet during the dialogue is not ripe and the conditions are not right.”
He said that Li Shangfu and Austin shook hands at the Friday (6/2) dinner, showing China’s “resilience”, but the United States must “correct its mistakes”. He stressed that talks between mid-level officials were still ongoing between the two countries.
The wording of Austin’s speech this year was obviously softer than last year’s. He Lei said that the United States should not mention China or the South China Sea, and emphasized that “China will not obey orders when it rises peacefully.”
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