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In his inaugural address as China's defence minister, General Li Shangfu
delivered a poignant speech emphasizing that a war between China and the United
States would result in an "unbearable disaster" for the entire world. Speaking
at a security summit, Li Shangfu expressed concern about the escalating arms
race in Asia and stressed the importance of finding common ground between the
two superpowers. The speech followed an incident in which the US accused a
Chinese destroyer of engaging in unsafe maneuvers near a US warship in the
Taiwan Strait, prompting criticism from China for "deliberately provoking risk."
Li, who assumed the position of defence minister in March, criticized the US for
its "Cold War mentality" and cautioned against using naval patrols as a pretext
for asserting dominance over navigation.
The remarks were delivered at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, the sole
annual security meeting in the Asia-Pacific region. Meanwhile, diplomatic
tensions continued to rise as China rejected a US request for direct military
talks due to sanctions imposed on Li by the US in 2018. The event saw a brief
encounter between US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Li at the opening
dinner, although no substantial exchange occurred.
Despite the strained relations, a high-ranking US State Department official
arrived in Beijing for a week of comprehensive discussions. The ongoing disputes
between the two nations encompass various
issues, including China's territorial claims in Taiwan and the South China Sea. |
