Security | Chinese Defense Minister: “We must not let history repeat itself”

Asian and “NATO-like” military alliances should not be established in the Pacific region, warns China’s defense minister Li Shangfu.

Li made the comments at the Shangri-La Dialogue defense conference in Singapore on Sunday, a day after Chinese and US warships drifted close together in the Taiwan Strait, sparking outrage on both sides.

“Companies promote the likes of NATO [liittoumia] The Asia-Pacific region has a way of seizing countries in the region and exaggerating conflicts and confrontations,” said Li.

He added that the alliances would plunge the region into a spiral of conflict.

Li did not mention individual countries, but his comments echoed China’s long-held criticism of the United States, which has wanted to strengthen alliances in the region. The United States is a member of the Aukus defense alliance with Australia and Britain, and the Quad cooperation with India, Japan and Australia.

“The Asia-Pacific region needs open and inclusive cooperation, not grouping into small cliques,” Li said. “We must not forget the serious disasters caused to all countries by the two world wars, and we must not let history repeat itself.”

A spokesman for the US Department of Defense’s Pentagon said after the speech that the US is still concerned about the dangerous and coercive actions of China’s armed forces in the region.

of the United States Minister of Defense Lloyd Austin stressed the importance of US-China dialogue in his speech on Saturday.

“The United States believes that open dialogue is vital, especially between our defense and military leaders,” Austin said.

“The more we talk, the better we can avoid misunderstandings and misjudgments that could lead to a crisis or conflict.”

Austin’s comments came after China refused to formally meet with the United States during the conference. Austin and Li Shangfu shook hands and spoke briefly at the opening dinner, but the interaction was thinner than the United States had hoped.

According to China, “The United States does know why there are difficulties in our military communications at the moment.”