WASHINGTON: US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with his Chinese counterpart Dong Jun via video teleconference on Tuesday (Apr 16), in the first substantive talks between the superpowers’ defence chiefs in nearly 18 months.
The United States has been working to strengthen defence cooperation with its allies in the Asia-Pacific region to counter China’s growing influence but also wants to maintain lines of communication with Beijing to prevent tensions from spiralling out of control.
“The two officials discussed US-PRC defence relations and regional and global security issues,” the Pentagon said in a statement, referring to the People’s Republic of China.
“Secretary Austin emphasised the importance of continuing to open lines of military-to-military communication between the United States and the PRC” following talks between the two sides in recent months, the statement said.
Austin also “reiterated that the United States will continue to fly, sail, and operate – safely and responsibly – wherever international law allows,” and “underscored the importance of respect for high seas freedom of navigation guaranteed under international law, especially in the South China Sea.”
Beijing, in turn, said Dong had used the talks to call for greater “trust” between the two powers.
“China and the United States should … take peace as the most precious, stability as the most important,” Dong told Austin, according to a Beijing readout.
“The military sphere is the key … to stabilising the development of the relationship and preventing major crises from occurring,” Dong said.
But he also warned the US over the self-ruled island of Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its own.
“Dong Jun emphasised that the Taiwan issue is the core of China’s core interests,” the defence ministry readout said.
He also urged the US to respect his country’s position on the South China Sea, which Beijing claims almost in its entirety and where tensions have flared in recent months.
“The US side should recognise China’s firm position, respect China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea, and take practical actions to safeguard regional peace,” Dong said.
