Lloyd Austin and Dong Jun have a wide-ranging discussion about the South China Sea, Taiwan, North Korea, and Ukraine.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Chinese Defense Secretary Dong Jun held their first substantive talks in nearly 18 months as the two countries seek to restore military ties.
The two men met via video conference on Tuesday, according to a Pentagon statement.
“We emphasized the importance of respecting the freedom of navigation on the high seas guaranteed by international law, especially in the South China Sea,” Austin said.
Escalating diplomatic disputes and recent incidents in disputed shoals between China and the Philippines, a treaty ally of the United States, have made the strategically important South China Sea a potential flashpoint between the United States and China. ing.
China claims almost all of the ocean, while Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam claim areas around their own coasts.
In 2016, an international tribunal ruled that China's nine-dash line, on which Beijing is basing its claims, lacks merit.
“The US side should recognize 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,” the Chinese Ministry of Defense said in a statement. '', he said.
He also warned the United States about Taiwan, a democratic island that Beijing claims as its own territory, stressing that Taiwan is “at the heart of China's core interests.”
Austin's last significant interaction with China's defense minister was in November 2022, when he met with Wei Fenghe in Cambodia.
Mr. Wei was subsequently replaced by Mr. Lee Shangfu, who shook hands with Mr. Austin and had a brief conversation with Mr. Austin at a security conference in Singapore in June last year, but avoided a formal meeting. . Mr. Lee was under U.S. sanctions, disappeared soon after, and was fired in October. Mr. Dong was appointed in December.
How to “become friends”
The United States and China are working to improve relations that have become increasingly fraught over issues ranging from Taiwan to the South China Sea, as well as trade and human rights.
Last November, US President Joe Biden met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in California to stabilize relations that had been frozen as a result of then-Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan and to resume military ties. Agreed.
The top U.S. military commander has since held talks with his Chinese counterpart, and this month U.S. and Chinese military officials met in Hawaii to discuss ways the two countries can operate safely.
In a phone call with Austin, Dong said China and the United States will “get along well” and “gradually build up mutual trust” by building a “non-conflict, non-confrontation”, pragmatic and cooperative relationship between the two countries' militaries. He said they should find a way to do so. .
“The military field is key to stabilizing the development of relations and preventing the occurrence of major crises,” he said.
Mr. Austin also emphasized the need to maintain open lines of communication to reduce the risk of potential flare-ups or address incidents.
“Secretary Austin emphasized the importance of keeping military-to-military lines of communication open between the United States and China,” the Pentagon said, using the acronym for the People's Republic of China.
According to the Pentagon, the two men also discussed Russia's war in Ukraine and the issue of North Korea.