Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu at the Shangri-La Dialogue on June 4.
Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue (SLD) in Singapore on June 4, Chinese General Li Shangfu stated that Cold War mentality is rising in the Asia- Pacific , but Beijing seeks dialogue rather than confrontation. Without naming any specific country, the head of China's Ministry of Defense accused "certain countries" of preferring to impose their rules on other nations under the "rules-based international order," according to the South China Morning Post ( SCMP ).
"Their so-called rules-based international order never tells you what the rules are, and who made those rules," Lee said in a speech to military generals and defense and diplomatic officials attending the SLD, Asia's leading annual security forum held in Singapore.
"They practice exceptionalism, double standards, and only serve the interests and follow the rules of a select few countries," the SCMP quoted the Chinese general as saying.
This was Li's first public address to an international audience since he became China's Defense Minister in March. Prior to the event in Singapore, he had already drawn attention for refusing to meet with his American counterpart Lloyd Austin on the sidelines of the SLD, at the Pentagon's suggestion.
In his remarks at the SLD, Minister Li also promoted Beijing's new Global Security Initiative (GSI). Announced by Chinese President Xi Jinping last April, the GSI outlines principles and guidelines for foreign policy that some observers see as an attempt to build a counterweight to the US-led international order.
"We strongly oppose imposing one country's will on another, putting one's own interests above those of others, and pursuing one's own security at the expense of others," Li said, accusing some countries of "deliberately interfering in the internal affairs of other countries."
However, the general adopted a more conciliatory tone when discussing Sino-American relations, noting that the relationship between the two countries had reached a "record low" since 1979. According to Li, a serious conflict or confrontation between China and the United States would be an "unbearable" catastrophe for the world .
The Chinese Defense Minister also stated that China is ready to engage in discussions with the US and promote dialogue between the two countries' militaries, but this must be based on mutual respect. "That is a very fundamental principle," he said.
Earlier on June 3rd, also at the SLD, Austin stated that China lacked the goodwill to engage in dialogue by refusing an offer to hold talks between the two defense ministers in Singapore. According to the Pentagon leader, he was deeply concerned about China's unwillingness to participate in efforts to manage military crises, and argued that negotiation is key to avoiding conflict.
A general in the Chinese delegation to the SLD told the SCMP that China rejected the US proposal for a meeting primarily because of Washington's sanctions against Li since 2018. Beijing also argued that the US had failed to create an atmosphere conducive to dialogue.
In other news, the US State Department announced on June 3rd that Daniel Kritenbrink, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, will visit China and New Zealand next week. The trip comes as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has indefinitely canceled his planned visit to Beijing following a dispute over the "surveillance balloon" incident.
Also at the SLD on June 3, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius called on Beijing to stop recruiting German military pilots to train Chinese forces, according to Reuters. He also said that during the meeting between the two sides, the Chinese defense minister did not deny this but said the issue was not serious.
The German newspaper Spiegel reported on June 2nd that former German fighter pilots have been training Chinese military pilots for many years. According to the article, German security officials believe it is highly likely that the German pilots imparted specialized military knowledge to the Chinese side, such as the covert operational tactics of German and NATO forces.
Chinese officials did not immediately comment on the information from Germany.
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