U.S. to propose Shangri-La summit early next month
China, unusual refusal to “create an atmosphere”
Interpretation of the Minister of National Defense’s goal of lifting US sanctions
‘Economics is cooperation, politics is cooling’ two-track
China rejected the US proposal to hold a meeting between the US and China defense ministers at the Asian Security Conference (Shangri-La Dialogue) to be held in Singapore on the 2nd to 4th of next month. It is unusual for China to reject the U.S. request for a meeting at the Shangri-La Dialogue, where security commanders of major Asian countries are mobilizing. At this event last year, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin met with Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe at the time and discussed North Korea and Taiwan issues.
China did not give a clear reason for the refusal. However, on the 30th, he said, “The United States must immediately correct the wrong behavior for dialogue and communication between the militaries of the two countries.” It is interpreted that this is aimed at the United States not yet lifting the sanctions of Chinese Defense Minister Li Sangfu, who was on the US sanctions list in 2018. The U.S. has taken a firm stance, saying that it will not be able to restore communication channels in the security field unless the U.S. lifts its all-round containment against China to a certain level.
A US Department of Defense official told The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on the 29th (local time) that “China notified that it is rejecting the proposal to hold a meeting between the US and China defense ministers.” ”he said. According to the WSJ, Minister Austin made considerable efforts earlier this month by sending a letter directly to Director Li asking for a meeting at the Shangri-La Dialogue.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning said at a regular briefing on the 30th, “The US is well aware of the cause of the difficulties in the US-China military dialogue.” We need to correct the wrong behavior immediately.” He also said, “To have dialogue and communication, create the necessary atmosphere and conditions with practical actions.”
The Hong Kong South China Morning Post (SCMP) and others predicted that China would not accept a meeting between the defense ministers of the two countries unless the United States lifts sanctions against Li. Director Li, a former aviation engineer, led the purchase of Russian-made Su-35 fighters and S-400 air defense missile systems in 2018 while serving as the head of the equipment development department of the Central Military Commission of the Chinese Communist Party, and was placed on the US sanctions list. Chinese President Xi Jinping appointed him as the head of the Ministry of National Defense in March, showing that he would never be pushed back in the power struggle with the United States.
The United States is accelerating the rally of allies over key security issues in Asia, such as responding to North Korean missiles, stabilizing the Taiwan Strait, and territorial disputes in the South China Sea. In this situation, some observers say that China may have refused to hold talks to show its will not to yield to U.S. pressure on security issues. On the 30th, the Global Times, a Chinese state-run newspaper, reported that Director Li would emphasize the ‘red line’ on the Taiwan issue in the Shangri-La Dialogue. It means that “external forces must not intervene in China’s internal affairs,” and in effect send a warning to the United States.
In the midst of a recent high-level meeting between the US and China heads of trade and commerce, China suddenly refused to meet with the defense ministers of the two countries. There is also an analysis that it is taking ‘. Jack Cooper, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), said: “China believes it has more leverage when dealing with US economic bureaucrats. It means that it will prioritize the economy over security.”
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Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.