The defense chiefs of China and the United States held face-to-face talks for the first time on Friday, with both sides remaining adamant about Taiwan’s right to self-government. US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Chinese Defense Minister General Wei Feng met on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue Security Summit in Singapore for almost an hour, twice the original time. The first face-to-face meeting between Austin and Wei takes place as US President Joe Biden seeks to spend more time on Asian security issues after months of focusing on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The two defense chiefs spoke by telephone in April. Although both sides say they want to better manage their relationship, Beijing and Washington remain polarized over various unstable security situations, from Taiwan’s sovereignty to China’s military activity in the South China Sea and the Russian invasion. in Ukraine. After the meeting, Chinese and US officials stressed the cordiality of the proceedings as a sign that it could help open the door for more communication between the two military. However, there was no evidence of a major breakthrough in resolving long-standing security disputes. Wei said the talks “went smoothly”. A Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman later said Wei had reiterated Beijing’s firm stance on Taiwan, which is part of China. “The PLA (People’s Liberation Army) would have no choice but to fight at all costs and crush any attempt by Taiwan’s independence, preserving national sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the spokesman said. Austin called on China to “refrain from further destabilizing actions” in Taiwan, according to a US statement issued after the talks. A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said most of the meeting focused on Taiwan and Austin reiterated that Washington’s position on Taiwan was unchanged, while criticizing China’s military aggression. “The United States is deeply concerned about the rise of PLA behavior, particularly insecure, aggressive, unprofessional behavior, and is concerned that PLA may be trying to change the status quo through its business behavior,” the official said after the meeting. The United States is Taiwan’s most important international supporter and supplier of arms, a source of constant friction between Washington and Beijing. China, which claims self-governing Taiwan as its own territory, has stepped up military activity near the island in the past two years in response to what it calls a “collusion” between Taipei and Washington. A Chinese fighter jet has dangerously intercepted an Australian military surveillance aircraft in the South China Sea region in May, and the Canadian military has accused Chinese warplanes of harassing its patrol aircraft while patrolling its submarines. The meeting between Austin and Wei also touched on other issues, such as communication on the crisis and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. During the meeting, Austin “strongly discouraged” China from providing material support to Russia for the war. In response, China’s defense spokesman said he had not provided military assistance to Russia. This year, Washington warned that Beijing seemed ready to help Russia in its war against Ukraine. China has not condemned Russia’s attack and does not call it an invasion, but has sought a negotiated solution. Beijing and Moscow have come closer in recent years, and in February, the two sides signed a broad strategic partnership to address US influence and said they would have no “forbidden” areas of cooperation. The Morning and Afternoon Newsletters are compiled by Globe editors, giving you a brief overview of the day’s most important headlines. Register today.
