JABAR EKSPRES – China said on Tuesday (5/30) that Washington should create a “necessary atmosphere” for bilateral dialogue, after rejecting the United States’ request for a meeting between the two countries’ defense leaders.
“The US should be aware of the causes of difficulties in a dialogue between the Chinese and US militaries, respect China’s sovereignty, security, and interest issues, promptly correct wrong actions and show sincerity,” said Mao Ning, spokesman for China’s Foreign Ministry.
Beijing asked Washington “to create the necessary atmosphere and conditions for dialogue,” the Chinese daily Global Times quoted Mao as saying.
The US asked China to hold a meeting of the two countries defense chiefs on the sidelines of the annual security forum in Singapore.
China “informed the US that they declined our invitation to bring Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Minister of National Defense Li Shangfu together in Singapore this week,” Pentagon spokesman Patrick Ryder told Anadolu.
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Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister General Li Shangfu and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will attend the 20th Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore from May 31 to June 4, where global leaders and policymakers will meet and discuss key issues.
Ryder, however, emphasized the importance of maintaining open channels of communication between the two countries militaries to ensure competition does not turn into conflict.
Li was appointed defense chief earlier this year in March. He faced US sanctions for promoting a China-Russia defense deal.
China’s “reluctance to engage in meaningful inter-military discussions” will not diminish the US Department of Defense’s commitment to seeking open lines of communication with the People’s Liberation Army at various levels as part of responsible relationship management, Ryder said.
Sanctions placed on Li under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) did not prevent Austin from meeting with him in the process of carrying out official US government duties, Ryder emphasized.
