China rejects U.S. request for defense chiefs to meet © Provided by NBC News
NBC: China rejects U.S. request for defense chiefs to meet
HONG KONG — China has declined a request from the United States for a meeting between the countries’ defense chiefs, the Pentagon said Monday, as the world’s two largest economies struggle to mend ties.
The Pentagon had suggested a meeting between Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue, an annual security forum being held in Singapore from June 2 to 4.
Washington has been seeking to restore high-level communications with Beijing as both sides signal a willingness to ease tensions stoked by clashes over Taiwan, a Chinese spy balloon and Russia’s war in Ukraine. But China has outlined limits to that conciliation over its issues with U.S. sanctions and what it sees as a broader effort to contain its rise.
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Update #1: China declines meeting between defence chiefs with US (Al Jazeera)
Update #2: China rejects Pentagon meeting request (RT)
WNU Editor: Chinese Defence Minister Li Shangfu has been under US sanctions since 2018 over the purchase of Russian fighter jets. What does the Pentagon expect?