U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin vowed Saturday that Washington would not stand for any 香蕉视频直播渃oercion and bullying香蕉视频直播� 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香蕉视频直播檚 vision of a 香蕉视频直播渇ree, open, and secure Indo-Pacific within a world of rules and rights香蕉视频直播� 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.
香蕉视频直播淲e are committed to ensuring that every country can fly, sail and operate wherever international law allows,香蕉视频直播� he said at the forum hosted by the International Institute for Strategic Studies think tank. 香蕉视频直播淎nd every country, large or small, must remain free to conduct lawful maritime activities.香蕉视频直播�
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 香蕉视频直播� ticking off many issues of importance to Asian-Pacific nations.
香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e doubling down on our alliances and partnerships,香蕉视频直播� he said.
He said the U.S. is also committed to deterring North Korea香蕉视频直播檚 missile threat and China香蕉视频直播檚 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.
香蕉视频直播淭o be clear, we do not seek conflict or confrontation,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淏ut we will not flinch in the face of bullying or coercion.香蕉视频直播�
Underscoring Austin香蕉视频直播檚 words, a U.S. guided-missile destroyer and a Canadian frigate sailed Saturday through the Taiwan Strait, 香蕉视频直播渨aters where high-seas freedoms of navigation and overflight apply in accordance with international law,香蕉视频直播� 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 香蕉视频直播渙vertly or covertly making false accusations against China香蕉视频直播� in his address.
Speaking with reporters after Austin spoke, Jing alleged the U.S. has been 香蕉视频直播渄eceiving and exploiting香蕉视频直播� Asia-Pacific nations to advance its own self-interests to preserve 香蕉视频直播渋ts dominant position香蕉视频直播� in the region.
He suggested that Washington has been holding on to alliances that are 香蕉视频直播渞emnants of the Cold War香蕉视频直播� and establishing new pacts, like the AUKUS agreement with Britain and Australia and the 香蕉视频直播淨uad香蕉视频直播� grouping with Australia, India and Japan 香蕉视频直播渢o divide the world into ideologically-driven camps and provoke confrontation.香蕉视频直播�
Jing, who took no questions, said that by contrast, 香蕉视频直播淐hina is committed to the region香蕉视频直播檚 development and prosperity.香蕉视频直播�
Austin sought to assure China that the U.S. remained 香蕉视频直播渄eeply committed香蕉视频直播� to the longstanding one-China policy, which recognizes Beijing as the government of China but allows informal relations with Taiwan, and continues to 香蕉视频直播渃ategorically oppose unilateral changes to the status quo from either side.香蕉视频直播�
He added that Russia香蕉视频直播檚 invasion of Ukraine had served to underline how dangerous the world would be if big countries were able to 香蕉视频直播渏ust invade their peaceful neighbors with impunity.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淐onflict is neither imminent nor inevitable,香蕉视频直播� Austin said. 香蕉视频直播淒eterrence is strong today 香蕉视频直播� and it香蕉视频直播檚 our job to keep it that way. The whole world has a stake in maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.香蕉视频直播�
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香蕉视频直播檚 claim that 香蕉视频直播淭aiwan is an inalienable part of China香蕉视频直播檚 sovereign territory.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淭here香蕉视频直播檚 no room for us to concede or compromise,香蕉视频直播� he said.
He added that 香蕉视频直播淐hina has indisputable sovereignty over the South China Sea islands and the adjacent waters.香蕉视频直播�
Li, who became China香蕉视频直播檚 defense minister in March, declined Austin香蕉视频直播檚 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.
香蕉视频直播淎 cordial handshake over dinner is no substitute for a substantive engagement,香蕉视频直播� 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 香蕉视频直播� but predate its invasion of Ukraine 香蕉视频直播� that were imposed in 2018 over Li香蕉视频直播檚 involvement in China香蕉视频直播檚 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.
香蕉视频直播淔or responsible defense leaders, the right time to talk is anytime,香蕉视频直播� Austin said. 香蕉视频直播淭he right time to talk is every time. And the right time to talk is now.香蕉视频直播�
Jing said, however, that lines of communication needed to be based upon 香蕉视频直播渕utual respect.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淏ut the U.S. has been calling for communications on one hand and undermining China香蕉视频直播檚 interests and concerns on the other,香蕉视频直播� he said.
The U.S. has noted that since 2021 香蕉视频直播� well before Li became defense minister 香蕉视频直播� 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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