Avoid destabilizing actions over Taiwan_ US tells China

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has asked China not to engage in actions that could further destabilize the situation surrounding Taiwan.

Austin made the remark in a meeting with China’s Defense Minister Wei Fenghe on Tuesday in Cambodia. They are visiting the country to attend a meeting Wednesday with the defense ministers of the ASEAN countries.

The US Defense Department said in a statement that Austin stressed “the need to responsibly manage competition and maintain open lines of communication.”

Austin expressed concerns about “increasingly dangerous behavior” by Chinese military aircraft in the Indo-Pacific region that raises the risk of an accident.
Austin reaffirmed the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. He also emphasized his opposition to unilateral changes to the status quo.

Regarding North Korea’s missile launches, Austin expressed “concerns about the recent provocations” and called for full enforcement of UN Security Council resolutions against North Korea’s unlawful weapons programs.

The two defense chiefs met in person for the first time since June.