During a meeting of defense leaders in Laos, China’s defense minister declined a meeting with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. This move was described as unfortunate by Austin, as multilateral gatherings of national security officials in Asia have historically been used as opportunities for meetings between U.S. and Chinese defense leaders. Austin expressed disappointment, stating that the region would benefit from conversations between the two significant powers. However, he also noted that the decision does not necessarily have implications for the future, and it was China’s choice to not take advantage of the opportunity.
Austin had previously met with China’s defense minister earlier in the year at a Singapore conference, where they discussed their differences on Taiwan and other issues while emphasizing the importance of keeping military-to-military communication channels open. Meanwhile, Chinese President Xi Jinping has expressed a willingness to work with the incoming U.S. administration of Joe Biden on various issues, such as conflicts related to cybercrime, trade, Taiwan, the South China Sea, and Russia. Despite the recent refusal to meet with Austin, it is hoped that ongoing communication and cooperation between the U.S. and China will continue in the future.
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