Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmaeil Khatib: The assassinations were scheduled to be carried out on Saturday with the aim of stirring up national and sectarian strifes in the country
Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmaeil Khatib: A series of attempts to assassinate a number of Sunni scholars, judges, and IRGC officers was thwarted
Twin shootings in Rotterdam led to multiple deaths: Dutch police
Dutch Police: Rotterdam shooter arrested
US imposes fresh Sudan-related sanctions: Treasury Department
Dutch Police: Two were wounded in a shooting in the city of Rotterdam, southwest of the country, and the attacker is still at large
Russia halts nuclear fuel exports to US over lack of insurance: Rosatom
Russian Defense Ministry: Ukrainian drone destroyed over Russia's Bryansk region.
Nagorno-Karabakh announces cessation of existence of unrecognized republic.
Russian Defense Ministry: Air defense forces intercepted Ukrainian aircraft-type UAV over Bryansk region.

China rebuffs US request for meeting between defense chiefs

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 30 May 2023 11:14
  • x

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and his Chinese counterpart Li Shangfu will both be in Singapore for the annual Shangri-la Dialogue, which begins this Friday, but no meeting will take place between the two.

  • Chinese Defence Minister Li Shangfu attends a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu in Moscow, Russia, April 16, 2023. (Reuters)
    Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu attends a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu in Moscow, Russia, April 16, 2023. (Reuters)

China has declined the United States' request for a meeting between their defense chiefs at an annual security gathering in Singapore this weekend, as per media reports.

"Overnight, the PRC informed the US that they have declined our early May invitation for Secretary Austin to meet with PRC Minister of National Defense Li Shangfu in Singapore," the Pentagon said in a statement to the Wall Street Journal.

The Pentagon stated that open communication is important "to ensure that competition does not veer into conflict."

Last week, White House spokesperson John Kirby said the Defense Department was discussing starting talks between Lloyd Austin and his Chinese counterpart, who was appointed defense minister in March.

Concurrently, US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao clashed over trade, investment, and export policies at a meeting in Washington that represented the first cabinet-level dialogue between the US and China in months.

Austin and Li will be in Singapore for the annual Shangri-la Dialogue, which begins on Friday. The Shangri-la Dialogue is an informal gathering of defense officials and experts that also hosts a number of side sessions.

Both are anticipated to conduct bilateral discussions with regional colleagues.

Related News

US SecDef Austin approves measures to curb rising military suicides

US lacks bravery, action to rectify relations with China: MoD

The big picture

The United States proposed a meeting at the level of defense ministers with China at the Shangri-La Dialogue set to take place in Singapore next week.

Washington recently sought to restore talks with top officials in China after relations soured in recent months, especially in light of the Chinese alleged spy balloon incident and Washington's increased militarization of countries surrounding China.

There have been plans for a meeting last week between commerce and trade officials in the wake of discussions that took place earlier in the month between the US National Security Advisor and China's top diplomat.

Without directly responding to the US request, China said it was concerned about US sanctions that the country had imposed on Li years ago over his alleged role in a Chinese arms purchase from Russia.

A veteran Chinese diplomat had said in April that unless the United States fundamentally changes its attitude toward China, there's no point in talks on ways to safeguard the relationship, Bloomberg reported.

"China-US relations are very much strained," as per Xu Bu, the head of the China Institute of International Studies, a think tank affiliated with the Chinese Foreign Ministry. "One of the most important causes is that the United States is worried that China may surpass it."

Tensions mounted again last month between the two countries after Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen met made a provocative visit to the US and met with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, prompting China to condemn the talks and stage three days of military drills around Taiwan.

Read more: Tsai-McCarthy meeting places in US sanctioned by China

  • Lloyd Austin
  • Shangri-La Dialogue
  • US
  • China
  • Li Shangfu

Most Read

Russia destroyed leopard tank in Ukraine with fully-German crew

Russia destroyed leopard tank in Ukraine with fully-German crew

  • Europe
  • 23 Sep 2023
Blinken’s ‘Variable Geometry’ for a New Cold War

Blinken’s ‘Variable Geometry’ for a New Cold War

  • Analysis
  • 24 Sep 2023
Zelensky joins Canadian Parliament’s ovation to WWII Nazi soldier

Zelensky joins Canadian Parliament’s ovation to WWII Nazi soldier

  • US & Canada
  • 25 Sep 2023
BBC from the front lines in Ukraine: It's bad, counteroffensive failed

BBC from the front lines in Ukraine: It's bad, counteroffensive failed

  • Europe
  • 28 Sep 2023

Coverage

All
Morocco & Libya Disasters

Read Next

All
BBC to restrict top hosts' social media usage
Europe

BBC to restrict hosts' social media for chiding anti-migration remarks

Germany, 'Israel'
Europe

Germany signs 'historic' deal to acquire Israeli-made Arrow 3 system

Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during a media briefing at the State Department, Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2023, in Washington. (AP)
Europe

'Never say never': Blinken on Biden-Putin meeting in the future

Plastic found in clouds may contaminate everything we consume
US & Canada

Microplastics in clouds cause 'plastic rainfall', infect everything

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS