In a recent development at the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-Plus defense ministers' meeting in Vientiane, tensions between China and the United States surfaced over a missed meeting.
Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun and U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin were both present in Laos for the event. However, the Pentagon reported that the Chinese side declined a meeting request from Austin.
Wu Qian, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of National Defense, held the United States fully responsible for the failure to convene the defense ministers. \"The U.S. side cannot undermine China's core interests on the Taiwan question while engaging with the Chinese military as if nothing is wrong,\" Wu stated.
He further urged the United States to recognize its errors and work towards establishing favorable conditions for high-level military exchanges in the future, emphasizing the importance of constructive dialogue between the two nations.
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China says U.S. responsible for failure of defense ministers' meeting
cgtn.com
