The US reaches out to China to continue the dialogue despite its differences

Austin, who met for 45 minutes in the Asian city-state on Friday with his Chinese counterpart, Dong Jun, in the first military meeting at that level between the powers in a year and a half, maintained his willingness to talk with China in order to to reduce tension between both nations.

“As leading powers it is important work together to avoid and reduce errors of calculation and misunderstanding. Not all conversations are going to be easy, but we have to talk,” Austin said during his participation in the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s most important defense forum.

“The key is that we are talking and while we talk we can identify the problems (…) we can only do that while you dialogue and maintain the communication channels. open communication“said the American.
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China and Washington maintain differences regarding the autonomy and status of Taiwan, which Beijing considers a rebellious province that does not rules out invading, and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, which the Chinese authorities claim almost all of it, among other issues.

With a conciliatory tone, the Secretary of Defense remarked on several occasions during his speaking turn today that dialogue between countries “has no substitute” when it comes to calming tensions and that if his Chinese counterpart calls him “he will always answer the phone.”

Although, in veiled statements without citing Beijing, Austin also attacked “harassing” countries in the South China Sea, where Chinese ships have fired water cannons at Philippine ships, and nations that try to “impose their will,” making clear the notable differences between both world powers.

Later and in another panel of the forum, Richard Marles, Minister of Defense of Australia – a historical ally of the US and with important disagreements with Beijing -, recalled some “unsafe and unprofessional” maneuvers of the Chinese People’s Army that put “in serious risk of injury” to Australian troops.

“In the face of these multiple sources of tension, it is even more imperative than ever for each country to play its role in managing the growing strategic risks,” Marles stressed.

On Sunday, the Chinese defense minister will take the lectern in the Asian city-state during a panel titled: “China’s approach to global security,” and where he will have the opportunity to respond to his American and Australian counterparts.

The president of Ukraine, Volodimir Zelensky, will also participate in tomorrow’s event after being announced this Saturday by the organization.
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EFE