Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue security summit in Singapore, Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu accused the US and its allies of trying to destabilize the Indo-Pacific region. The remarks came just hours after the warships of the two countries narrowly escaped a collision at sea.
Lee accused the US of “instigating the bloc conflict for its own interests” and claimed that Washington and its allies were imposing their own rules to dominate the region. He sternly warned that any serious confrontation between the US and China would result in an “unbearable catastrophe for the world”.
Lee’s warning followed cautious remarks by U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin at the same forum, where he called a war on Taiwan “disastrous” and stressed its potential to profoundly affect the global economy in unimaginable ways.
The near collision occurred when a Chinese warship reportedly cut in front of a US ship participating in a joint exercise with the Canadian navy in the Taiwan Strait, forcing the US ship to slow down to avoid a collision.
When questioned about the incident, Lee condemned the presence of the US Navy in the strait, accusing Washington of creating chaos in the region. He asserted that the American warships were not there for innocent passage but for provocation. Li stressed that if the US and other foreign powers want to avoid conflict, they should refrain from sending their military assets close to China. In a blunt manner, he advised them to “mind their own business” and questioned why such incidents always seemed to occur in areas closer to China than in areas closer to other countries.
The incident, which was captured on video by a Canadian Global News crew aboard the frigate HMCS Montreal, drew criticism from the Canadian ship’s commander, Captain Paul Mountford, who criticized the Chinese ship’s actions. Declared “not professional”. A senior US defense official emphasized that actions speak louder than words and highlighted the dangerous behavior displayed by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in the Taiwan Strait, South China Sea and other regions. What did
In response to the incident, a spokesperson for the PLA’s Eastern Theater Command issued a statement, saying that Chinese forces have handled the situation in compliance with laws and regulations. The spokesman accused the relevant countries of deliberately stirring up trouble and danger in the Taiwan Strait, undermining regional peace and stability and sending false signals to “Taiwan Liberation” forces.
The recent near-miss between US and Chinese fighter jets is the second instance of aggressive maneuvers by Chinese military personnel near China’s borders in just two weeks. Earlier, a Chinese fighter jet engaged in an unnecessarily aggressive maneuver while intercepting a US spy plane in international airspace over the South China Sea.
In light of these developments, Secretary Austin called on Beijing to rein in the conduct of its forces and urged China to engage in meaningful dialogue. Taiwan also voiced its opinion, accusing Beijing of provocative behavior in the strait and urging the Chinese Communist Party to respect freedom of navigation to maintain regional peace, stability and security.
The comments by the Chinese and US defense chiefs come at a time when bilateral relations have been strained, with China rejecting Secretary Austin’s offer to meet at the Singapore summit due to US sanctions on Chinese officials and companies. .
While Austin and Lee exchanged cordial handshakes at the banquet, Austin stressed the need for a more substantive conversation. However, it appears that there will be no meeting between the US and Chinese defense chiefs this year, reflecting a deep rift in their relationship.
In his address, Secretary Austin also expressed concern about China’s numerous dangerous interceptions of U.S. and allied aircraft in international airspace and the U.S. commitment to support its allies and partners against coercion and terrorism. emphasized.
The continued lack of communication between the two countries increases the likelihood of an incident that could quickly spiral out of control, making communication and de-escalation critical to avoid further conflict.