The dialogue between US and China is “essential” and it will help prevent miscalculations that lead to conflict, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Saturday.
“The United States believes that open lines of communication with the People’s Republic of China are essential, especially among our defense and military leaders,” Austin said at the Shangri-La Dialogue defense summit in Singapore.
“The more we talk, the more we can avoid misunderstandings and miscalculations that can lead to a crisis or a conflict”, added the head of the Pentagon.
The United States had proposed a formal meeting in this forum between Austin and his Chinese counterpart, Li Shangfu, but Beijing did not accept the invitation.
Both leaders shook hands and they spoke briefly during the opening dinner of this summit in Singapore, but the meeting did not go further.
“A handshake is not enough”
“A handshake is not enough,” Austin added, alluding to the brief greeting that both exchanged the day before at the Dialogue’s opening dinner, after Beijing on Monday rejected Washington’s request that the chiefs of Defense of the two superpowers held a bilateral meeting.
One of the main obstacles for the meeting to take place is that Li, who was appointed Minister of Defense of China last March, was sanctioned in 2018 by the United Statesaccused of buying weapons from the Russian state company Rosoboronexport.
“I am deeply concerned” by China’s refusal, Austin admitted. “I will say it over and over again: the great powers must be examples of transparency and responsibility. The United States is committed to doing our part.”