<mediadc-video-embed data-state="{"cms.site.owner":{"_ref":"00000161-3486-d333-a9e9-76c6fbf30000","_type":"00000161-3461-dd66-ab67-fd6b93390000"},"cms.content.publishDate":1654870763020,"cms.content.publishUser":{"_ref":"0000016c-7763-d473-a96f-77eb53420000","_type":"00000161-3461-dd66-ab67-fd6b933a0007"},"cms.content.updateDate":1654870763020,"cms.content.updateUser":{"_ref":"0000016c-7763-d473-a96f-77eb53420000","_type":"00000161-3461-dd66-ab67-fd6b933a0007"},"rawHtml":"
var _bp = _bp||[]; _bp.push({ "div": "Brid_54671064", "obj": {"id":"27789","width":"16","height":"9","video":"1027997"} }); ","_id":"00000181-4dfb-d1f1-a1c3-7ffb62e00000","_type":"2f5a8339-a89a-3738-9cd2-3ddf0c8da574"}”>Video EmbedDefense Secretary Lloyd Austin met with his Chinese counterpart, Minister of National Defense Gen. Wei Fenghe, on Friday morning.
The nearly hourlong meeting took place in Singapore during Austin’s fourth trip to the Indo-Pacific region following a request from China’s military leadership, according to CNN. Austin and Wei, who have only spoken once by phone previously, discussed Taiwan, the island of 24 million people who consider themselves to be an independent nation despite the Chinese government claiming it’s within their borders.
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“The Secretary reiterated to General Wei that the United States remains committed to our longstanding one China policy, which is guided by the Taiwan Relations Act, the Three U.S.-China Joint Communiques, and the Six Assurances,” a readout from the Department of Defense reads. “The Secretary reaffirmed the importance of peace and stability across the Strait, opposition to unilateral changes to the status quo, and called on the PRC to refrain from further destabilizing actions toward Taiwan.”
Under Austin, the department has been vocal in describing the Chinese military as its “pacing challenge” while also pointing to China’s continued aggression in the region.
The U.S. “one-China policy” means Washington acknowledges, but does not recognize, China’s claim that Taiwan is a part of the country. America has also long sought a strategy of “strategic ambiguity,” declining to spell out how Washington would react should China make a move on Taiwan.
Last month, President Joe Biden appeared to announce a shift in U.S. policy when he affirmed that the U.S. would get involved militarily during a press conference while he was in Asia, though the White House later made clear that he was not discussing a policy change. This was not the first time his communications team had to backpedal an apparent promise to defend Taiwan militarily.
“Secretary Austin discussed global and regional security issues, including the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine,” the readout continued.
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Chinese and Russian leaders released a communique that outlined a wide range of plans for economic and diplomatic cooperation back in February, weeks before Russia invaded Ukraine. While the Chinese have repeatedly claimed to promote “peace” between Russia and Ukraine, they have also been amplifying Russian disinformation claims of justification.
