Defense leaders and officials from many countries around the world are attending the annual Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. The US and Chinese defense ministers met on the sidelines to discuss the situation in hot spots around the world.
According to CNA, the meeting between US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun on May 31 brought hope for more military dialogues in the future between the two countries, helping to prevent the possibility of hot issues getting out of control.
The meeting on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue was the first substantive face-to-face talks between the US and Chinese defense ministers in 18 months. The meeting lasted more than an hour.
A Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman said the talks were “positive, pragmatic and constructive.” The two leaders discussed the situation in the Taiwan Strait, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, as well as the conflict in Gaza.
Mr. Austin expressed concern about China's military activities near Taiwan. Mr. Dong Jun warned Mr. Austin that the US should not interfere in China's internal affairs.
However, both sides stressed the importance of keeping military ties open, and a senior US defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the meeting marked an “important step” in opening lines of communication. After the meeting, the Pentagon said the US welcomed plans to convene a crisis and communications working group with China later this year. China’s defense minister also expressed hope that the US could help support peace in the Middle East. Mr Austin and Mr Dong will speak at the Shangri-La Dialogue, where they are expected to address a range of issues that have raised global tensions.
KHANH MINH
Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/bo-truong-quoc-phong-my-va-trung-quoc-thao-luan-ve-cac-van-de-an-ninh-post742417.html
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