Pentagon boss Lloyd Austin, speaking to his colleague Wei Fenghe, stressed “the need to deal responsibly with competition and to maintain open lines of communication,” as the US Department of Defense announced Tuesday. The two met on the sidelines of a meeting of defense ministers of the Southeast Asian Association of States, ASEAN, in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
In view of the conflict over Taiwan, Austin asked China to refrain from “further destabilizing measures” towards the democratic island republic. He also warned of the “dangerous behavior” of Chinese military aircraft in the Indo-Pacific, which increases the “risk of accidents”. The talk between the two ministers is a continuation of the dialogue between Biden and Xi, said White House National Security Council communications director John Kirby. “The communication channels are open at the highest level,” Kirby continued. The aim, however, is to create even more exchange at work level.
The relationship between the two world powers is very tense. Given the poor relations, Biden and Xi met on the sidelines of the G20 summit on the Indonesian island of Bali last week. At least there the two were approaching something.
(SDA)
Source: Blick
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
