US EYES SIT WITH CHINESE

Pentagon in talks

The United States and China are in final talks to set up the first face-to-face meeting between Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and his Beijing counterpart at a security conference next month in Singapore, a report said Monday.

The discussions, coming at a time of heightened tensions over the future of Taiwan, involve a potential sit-down between Austin (inset) and Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue, The

Wall Street Journal reported.

Austin has already said he would travel to the conference, being held from June 10 to June 12.

Wei’s attendance hasn’t been confirmed, but the newspaper reported that he would participate in person.

The Wall Street Journal noted that the talks were ongoing and plans could change.

Austin and Wei talked on the phone in April about security in Asia and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the first conversation between the pair.

The Chinese Defense Ministry’s summary of the conversation indicated that Wei warned Austin that Taiwan could have a “disruptive impact” on relations between the countries.

During a trip to Asia earlier this month, President Biden said the US would intervene militarily if China invades Taiwan, a self-ruled island that China claims as part of its territory.

Taiwan tensions

Beijing responded to Biden’s remarks with “strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition.”

Following Biden’s comments in Tokyo, the White House and the president insisted that the US policy of “strategic ambiguity” on Taiwan hadn’t changed.

The White House said it still adhered to the “one China” position that recognizes the People’s Republic of China as the sole government of the Asian nation, and acknowledges — but does not accept — that Taiwan is part of China.

The United States, under the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act, is not required to defend Taiwan militarily, but it must ensure the island nation has the resources to defend itself.