Just had a rare meeting with the US Secretary of Defense

This is the first face-to-face meeting between the two countries' defense ministers in 18 months. It is also the first time Mr. Dong has met Mr. Austin since he took office as China's defense minister in late 2023.

Mr. Dong and Mr. Austin talked for more than an hour in a secret meeting room, according to Channelnews Asia on May 31.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin arrives for a US-China bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on May 31, 2024.

A Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman told reporters the discussions were "positive, pragmatic and constructive." The two ministers discussed Taiwan, the Russia-Ukraine war situation, as well as the conflict in Gaza.

Minister Dong warned the US not to interfere in China's internal affairs regarding Taiwan, and said that US actions toward Taiwan seriously violated the "one China" policy. China also expressed hope that the US could support peace in the Middle East.

For his part, Secretary Austin expressed concern about the recent activities of the Chinese military in the Taiwan Strait, and criticized Beijing for not using the transition of government in Taiwan as an excuse to deploy deterrence measures. Mr. Austin emphasized the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the US remains committed to the "one China" policy.

The meeting comes amid heightened tensions in the Taiwan Strait. On May 23, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) began two days of military exercises around Taiwan and surrounding areas, according to Nikkei Asia .

In addition to the Taiwan issue, Secretary Austin emphasized the importance of maintaining open lines of communication between the US and Chinese militaries. Mr. Austin also reiterated the announcement of the resumption of hotlines and communication channels between senior military officials between US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping in November 2023. Mr. Austin also said that the US supports the plan to establish a working group on crisis communications later this year with China, according to Migare News .

During this year's three-day Shangri-La Dialogue, delegates from 45 countries will deliver a series of speeches as well as bilateral and multilateral meetings on the sidelines. Mr. Austin is scheduled to speak on June 1, while Mr. Dong will speak a day later.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/vua-gap-mat-hiem-hoi-bo-truong-quoc-phong-my-trung-quoc-noi-gi-voi-nhau-185240531144824038.htm