U.S. and Chinese defense chiefs trade barbs over Taiwan at first face-to-face meeting

[onthedarkside]

 

Singapore (CNN)  US and Chinese military chiefs sparred over the issue of Taiwan in their first face-to-face meeting on Friday at a major defense summit in Singapore, with Washington saying Beijing is trying to change the status quo over the island and Beijing claiming Washington is fueling instability with its actions including arms sales to Taipei.

 

The US is committed to its One China policy, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told his Chinese counterpart, Gen. Wei Fenghe, but he warned that the Chinese military has become increasingly aggressive, unsafe, and unprofessional in the region, a US defense official said after the meeting at the Shangri-La Dialogue.

 

The US official said the actions by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) reflect recent statements made by Chinese officials that suggest Beijing may be altering the status quo regarding Taiwan, a democratically controlled island that China claims as its sovereign territory.

 

(more)

 

https://www.cnn.com/2022/06/10/asia/us-china-defense-ministers-meeting-intl-hnk-ml/index.html

 

 

 

[hotchilli]

USA should make it's position clear over Taiwan, it will or won't step in if China invades.

 

[mushroomdave]

8 hours ago, hotchilli said:

USA should make it's position clear over Taiwan, it will or won't step in if China invades.

 

They have, just 3 weeks ago actually: (not saying they will but he did state that position)

 

https://www.npr.org/2022/05/23/1100828744/president-biden-says-the-u-s-will-defend-taiwan-if-china-invades

 

Edited June 11, 2022 by mushroomdave

[vandeventer]

14 hours ago, mushroomdave said:

They have, just 3 weeks ago actually: (not saying they will but he did state that position)

 

https://www.npr.org/2022/05/23/1100828744/president-biden-says-the-u-s-will-defend-taiwan-if-china-invades

 

We all know what Biden said but did the Whitehouse take it back?

[RocketDog]

On 6/11/2022 at 2:42 PM, hotchilli said:

USA should make it's position clear over Taiwan, it will or won't step in if China invades.

 

I disagree. Keeping your enemy guessing is a valid strategy and one that China employs regularly.

It keeps our allies guessing too, but after all it's safe to say America cannot know for sure where such allies stand either, so no real loss.