U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin vowed Saturday that Washington would not stand for any 含羞草研究社渃oercion and bullying含羞草研究社� of its allies and partners by China, while assuring Beijing that the United States remains committed to maintaining the status quo on Taiwan and would prefer dialogue over conflict.
Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue, an annual forum bringing together top defense officials, diplomats and leaders in Singapore, Austin lobbied for support for Washington含羞草研究社檚 vision of a 含羞草研究社渇ree, open, and secure Indo-Pacific within a world of rules and rights含羞草研究社� as the best course to counter increasing Chinese assertiveness in the region.
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The U.S. has been expanding its own activities around the Indo-Pacific to counter sweeping territorial claims from China, including regularly sailing through and flying over the Taiwan Strait and in the South China Sea.
含羞草研究社淲e are committed to ensuring that every country can fly, sail and operate wherever international law allows,含羞草研究社� he said at the forum hosted by the International Institute for Strategic Studies think tank. 含羞草研究社淎nd every country, large or small, must remain free to conduct lawful maritime activities.含羞草研究社�
Austin noted that the U.S. had provided millions of doses of the COVID-19 vaccine during the height of the pandemic and is regularly involved in disaster relief and humanitarian assistance efforts in the region. He said it is working to combat climate change, illegal fishing and ensure that supply chains do not suffer disruptions 含羞草研究社� ticking off many issues of importance to Asian-Pacific nations.
含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檙e doubling down on our alliances and partnerships,含羞草研究社� he said.
He said the U.S. is also committed to deterring North Korea含羞草研究社檚 missile threat and China含羞草研究社檚 claims on Taiwan, a self-governing island democracy that Beijing says is its territory, and said Washington has been stepping up defense planning, coordination and training with partner nations in the region.
含羞草研究社淭o be clear, we do not seek conflict or confrontation,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淏ut we will not flinch in the face of bullying or coercion.含羞草研究社�
Underscoring Austin含羞草研究社檚 words, a U.S. guided-missile destroyer and a Canadian frigate sailed Saturday through the Taiwan Strait, 含羞草研究社渨aters where high-seas freedoms of navigation and overflight apply in accordance with international law,含羞草研究社� the U.S. 7th Fleet said. There was no immediate word of a Chinese response.
In Singapore, Chinese Lt. Gen. Jing Jianfeng, a senior member of the delegation accompanying Defense Minister Gen. Li Shangfu, accused Austin of 含羞草研究社渙vertly or covertly making false accusations against China含羞草研究社� in his address.
Speaking with reporters after Austin spoke, Jing alleged the U.S. has been 含羞草研究社渄eceiving and exploiting含羞草研究社� Asia-Pacific nations to advance its own self-interests to preserve 含羞草研究社渋ts dominant position含羞草研究社� in the region.
He suggested that Washington has been holding on to alliances that are 含羞草研究社渞emnants of the Cold War含羞草研究社� and establishing new pacts, like the AUKUS agreement with Britain and Australia and the 含羞草研究社淨uad含羞草研究社� grouping with Australia, India and Japan 含羞草研究社渢o divide the world into ideologically-driven camps and provoke confrontation.含羞草研究社�
Jing, who took no questions, said that by contrast, 含羞草研究社淐hina is committed to the region含羞草研究社檚 development and prosperity.含羞草研究社�
Austin sought to assure China that the U.S. remained 含羞草研究社渄eeply committed含羞草研究社� to the longstanding one-China policy, which recognizes Beijing as the government of China but allows informal relations with Taiwan, and continues to 含羞草研究社渃ategorically oppose unilateral changes to the status quo from either side.含羞草研究社�
He added that Russia含羞草研究社檚 invasion of Ukraine had served to underline how dangerous the world would be if big countries were able to 含羞草研究社渏ust invade their peaceful neighbors with impunity.含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社淐onflict is neither imminent nor inevitable,含羞草研究社� Austin said. 含羞草研究社淒eterrence is strong today 含羞草研究社� and it含羞草研究社檚 our job to keep it that way. The whole world has a stake in maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.含羞草研究社�
But Jing accused the U.S. of hollowing out the one-China policy, accusing Washington of supporting Taiwanese separatists without citing any evidence, and reiterating Beijing含羞草研究社檚 claim that 含羞草研究社淭aiwan is an inalienable part of China含羞草研究社檚 sovereign territory.含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社淭here含羞草研究社檚 no room for us to concede or compromise,含羞草研究社� he said.
He added that 含羞草研究社淐hina has indisputable sovereignty over the South China Sea islands and the adjacent waters.含羞草研究社�
Li, who became China含羞草研究社檚 defense minister in March, declined Austin含羞草研究社檚 invitation to talk on the sidelines of the conference, though the two did shake hands before sitting down at opposite sides of the same table together as the forum opened Friday.
Austin said this was not enough.
含羞草研究社淎 cordial handshake over dinner is no substitute for a substantive engagement,含羞草研究社� he said.
Li, who was named defense minister in March, is under American sanctions that are part of a broad package of measures against Russia 含羞草研究社� but predate its invasion of Ukraine 含羞草研究社� that were imposed in 2018 over Li含羞草研究社檚 involvement in China含羞草研究社檚 purchase of combat aircraft and anti-aircraft missiles from Moscow.
The sanctions, which broadly prevent Li from doing business in the United States, do not prevent him from holding official talks, American defense officials have said.
It was not clear whether Li, who is to address the forum Sunday morning, was in the room while Austin talked. He did join the American defense secretary and others later for a ministerial roundtable.
Austin reiterated calls that Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese made in his opening address at the forum for China to engage in regular, direct communications to help prevent any possible conflict.
含羞草研究社淔or responsible defense leaders, the right time to talk is anytime,含羞草研究社� Austin said. 含羞草研究社淭he right time to talk is every time. And the right time to talk is now.含羞草研究社�
Jing said, however, that lines of communication needed to be based upon 含羞草研究社渕utual respect.含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社淏ut the U.S. has been calling for communications on one hand and undermining China含羞草研究社檚 interests and concerns on the other,含羞草研究社� he said.
The U.S. has noted that since 2021 含羞草研究社� well before Li became defense minister 含羞草研究社� China has declined or failed to respond to more than a dozen requests from the U.S. Defense Department to talk with senior leaders, as well as multiple requests for standing dialogues and working-level engagements.
David Rising, The Associated Press
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