“The right time for defense leaders to talk is any time and every time,” said U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, after meeting with his Chinese counterpart Defense Minister Dong Jun in Singapore.
“There’s no substitute for open lines of communication to avoid misunderstanding and miscalculations. As I’ve always said, dialogue is not a reward; it’s a necessity.”
The face-to-face talks between the military leaders took place on May 31 on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue defense forum. It was the first in-person meeting between top U.S. and Chinese defense chiefs in over 18 months.
Secretary Austin called the discussion “frank” and “open.” In a readout, the Pentagon noted, among other issues, Secretary Austin voiced concern about provocative actions taken by China against Taiwan in the aftermath of the election of Taiwan’s new president. Secretary Austin underscored U.S. commitment to its long-standing one China policy and reaffirmed the need for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.
Secretary Austin also emphasized the importance of freedom of navigation guaranteed under international law, especially in the South China Sea. He reiterated the United States’ determination to fly, sail, and operate responsibly wherever international law allows.
In discussing the meeting, Secretary Austin reiterated that “every country large or small has the right to enjoy its own maritime resources and to freely sail and operate wherever international law allows.”
“We all share an interest in ensuring that the South China Sea remains open and free. Peace and stability across this region are crucial for the whole world,” he said.
Defense Secretary Austin said, “What we’re looking for … in our relationship with China is a relationship based upon competition. We’re not looking for a contentious relationship, but … we really have to be clear about our expectations:
“And the issues that we see that are very, very troubling. And if we have an open dialogue, we can address those issues in those channels.”
“Leaders of great powers,” declared Secretary Austin, “need to continue to work together to ensure that we’re doing things to reduce the opportunities for miscalculation and misunderstanding. And every conversation is not going to be a happy conversation. But it is important that we continue to talk to each other.”
