According to AFP , the Pentagon announced that US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and his Chinese counterpart Li Shangfu had a brief exchange on the evening of June 2 in Singapore, after Beijing declined an invitation for a formal meeting between the two top defense officials.
Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu (left) and his US counterpart Lloyd Austin. (Photo: AFP)
In a statement, Pentagon spokesman Brigadier General Pat Ryder stated that Secretary Lloyd Austin and Secretary Lee "had a brief conversation at the opening dinner of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. The two officials shook hands, but there was no substantive discussion."
According to Mr. Ryder, the Pentagon believes in maintaining open lines of communication "and will continue to seek meaningful military-to-military discussions at multiple levels to manage the relationship responsibly."
Secretary Austin and other US officials are working to strengthen alliances and partnerships in Asia to counter China, but there are also tentative signs that both sides are working to repair bilateral relations.
Previously, the US had asked Minister Li Shangfu to meet his counterpart Austin on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue, but China refused.
On June 2, the 20th Shangri-La Dialogue - Asia's leading security forum attracting senior military officials, diplomats , arms manufacturers and security analysts from around the world - began in Singapore.
The increasingly tense relationship between the US and China and the impact on Asia of the conflict in Ukraine will be the focus of attention at the region's top security conference taking place from June 2-4.
In addition, discussions at the Forum will also address the evolving security architecture in the Asia- Pacific , including the AUKUS treaty between Australia, the UK and the US, as well as the Quad Group of Australia, India, Japan and the US; issues related to the global security field such as the security implications of technological and cyber competition, the challenges of developing military capabilities in the Asia- Pacific region, the nuclear aspects of regional security...
The Shangri-La Dialogue was first held in 2002 as a platform for direct diplomacy between top regional and global defense officials. The conference includes speeches, debates and private security-related discussions between senior delegates.
Over the years, the Forum has provided a valuable, open and neutral platform for parties to exchange views on important defence and security issues in the Asia-Pacific.
This year's 20th Shangri-La Dialogue attracted more than 550 delegates from over 40 countries. The annual event was canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
(Source: vietnamplus)
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