(VitalNews.org) – China and the United States will continue military talks “in the coming months” according to U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
Austin met with Dong Jun last week at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, which signaled the first in-person conversation between the defense chiefs in over a year. Beijing later confirmed the stabilizing security ties between the two countries. This is following increased tensions between China and the United States due to issues with Taiwan and the South China Sea.
Austin said that they would continue speaking over the phone in the coming months to continue their collaboration. He also said that he welcomed plans for a “crisis-communications working group” with China that would be set by the end of the year.
Chinese defense spokesman Wu Qian described the conversation as “positive” and said that their military relations were “currently stopping their decline and stabilizing.” Wu did say that Beijing and Washington couldn’t talk about everything and solve all their issues within just one meeting.
The Shangri-La Dialogue for this year was held about a week after China held military drills quite close to Taiwan and warned of potential war. The issues with Taiwan are the biggest stressors here for the two countries as they navigate the conflict.
Said Wu Qian, “The Taiwan issue is purely China’s internal affairs, external forces have no right to interfere, and the United States’ actions seriously violate the one China principle.”
Beijing is also feeling the heat against Washington for its ties with the Philippines and its defensive tactics taking place in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait. President Joe Biden and Taiwan are amping up communications to ensure they are eliminating friction between them.
Copyright 2024, VitalNews.org
