U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin vowed Saturday that Washington would not stand for any 91裸聊视频渃oercion and bullying91裸聊视频� of its allies and partners by China, while assuring Beijing that the United States remains committed to maintaining the status quo on Taiwan and would prefer dialogue over conflict.

Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue, an annual forum bringing together top defense officials, diplomats and leaders in Singapore, Austin lobbied for support for Washington91裸聊视频檚 vision of a 91裸聊视频渇ree, open, and secure Indo-Pacific within a world of rules and rights91裸聊视频� as the best course to counter increasing Chinese assertiveness in the region.

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The U.S. has been expanding its own activities around the Indo-Pacific to counter sweeping territorial claims from China, including regularly sailing through and flying over the Taiwan Strait and in the South China Sea.

91裸聊视频淲e are committed to ensuring that every country can fly, sail and operate wherever international law allows,91裸聊视频� he said at the forum hosted by the International Institute for Strategic Studies think tank. 91裸聊视频淎nd every country, large or small, must remain free to conduct lawful maritime activities.91裸聊视频�

Austin noted that the U.S. had provided millions of doses of the COVID-19 vaccine during the height of the pandemic and is regularly involved in disaster relief and humanitarian assistance efforts in the region. He said it is working to combat climate change, illegal fishing and ensure that supply chains do not suffer disruptions 91裸聊视频� ticking off many issues of importance to Asian-Pacific nations.

91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e doubling down on our alliances and partnerships,91裸聊视频� he said.

He said the U.S. is also committed to deterring North Korea91裸聊视频檚 missile threat and China91裸聊视频檚 claims on Taiwan, a self-governing island democracy that Beijing says is its territory, and said Washington has been stepping up defense planning, coordination and training with partner nations in the region.

91裸聊视频淭o be clear, we do not seek conflict or confrontation,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淏ut we will not flinch in the face of bullying or coercion.91裸聊视频�

Underscoring Austin91裸聊视频檚 words, a U.S. guided-missile destroyer and a Canadian frigate sailed Saturday through the Taiwan Strait, 91裸聊视频渨aters where high-seas freedoms of navigation and overflight apply in accordance with international law,91裸聊视频� the U.S. 7th Fleet said. There was no immediate word of a Chinese response.

In Singapore, Chinese Lt. Gen. Jing Jianfeng, a senior member of the delegation accompanying Defense Minister Gen. Li Shangfu, accused Austin of 91裸聊视频渙vertly or covertly making false accusations against China91裸聊视频� in his address.

Speaking with reporters after Austin spoke, Jing alleged the U.S. has been 91裸聊视频渄eceiving and exploiting91裸聊视频� Asia-Pacific nations to advance its own self-interests to preserve 91裸聊视频渋ts dominant position91裸聊视频� in the region.

He suggested that Washington has been holding on to alliances that are 91裸聊视频渞emnants of the Cold War91裸聊视频� and establishing new pacts, like the AUKUS agreement with Britain and Australia and the 91裸聊视频淨uad91裸聊视频� grouping with Australia, India and Japan 91裸聊视频渢o divide the world into ideologically-driven camps and provoke confrontation.91裸聊视频�

Jing, who took no questions, said that by contrast, 91裸聊视频淐hina is committed to the region91裸聊视频檚 development and prosperity.91裸聊视频�

Austin sought to assure China that the U.S. remained 91裸聊视频渄eeply committed91裸聊视频� to the longstanding one-China policy, which recognizes Beijing as the government of China but allows informal relations with Taiwan, and continues to 91裸聊视频渃ategorically oppose unilateral changes to the status quo from either side.91裸聊视频�

He added that Russia91裸聊视频檚 invasion of Ukraine had served to underline how dangerous the world would be if big countries were able to 91裸聊视频渏ust invade their peaceful neighbors with impunity.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淐onflict is neither imminent nor inevitable,91裸聊视频� Austin said. 91裸聊视频淒eterrence is strong today 91裸聊视频� and it91裸聊视频檚 our job to keep it that way. The whole world has a stake in maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.91裸聊视频�

But Jing accused the U.S. of hollowing out the one-China policy, accusing Washington of supporting Taiwanese separatists without citing any evidence, and reiterating Beijing91裸聊视频檚 claim that 91裸聊视频淭aiwan is an inalienable part of China91裸聊视频檚 sovereign territory.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淭here91裸聊视频檚 no room for us to concede or compromise,91裸聊视频� he said.

He added that 91裸聊视频淐hina has indisputable sovereignty over the South China Sea islands and the adjacent waters.91裸聊视频�

Li, who became China91裸聊视频檚 defense minister in March, declined Austin91裸聊视频檚 invitation to talk on the sidelines of the conference, though the two did shake hands before sitting down at opposite sides of the same table together as the forum opened Friday.

Austin said this was not enough.

91裸聊视频淎 cordial handshake over dinner is no substitute for a substantive engagement,91裸聊视频� he said.

Li, who was named defense minister in March, is under American sanctions that are part of a broad package of measures against Russia 91裸聊视频� but predate its invasion of Ukraine 91裸聊视频� that were imposed in 2018 over Li91裸聊视频檚 involvement in China91裸聊视频檚 purchase of combat aircraft and anti-aircraft missiles from Moscow.

The sanctions, which broadly prevent Li from doing business in the United States, do not prevent him from holding official talks, American defense officials have said.

It was not clear whether Li, who is to address the forum Sunday morning, was in the room while Austin talked. He did join the American defense secretary and others later for a ministerial roundtable.

Austin reiterated calls that Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese made in his opening address at the forum for China to engage in regular, direct communications to help prevent any possible conflict.

91裸聊视频淔or responsible defense leaders, the right time to talk is anytime,91裸聊视频� Austin said. 91裸聊视频淭he right time to talk is every time. And the right time to talk is now.91裸聊视频�

Jing said, however, that lines of communication needed to be based upon 91裸聊视频渕utual respect.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淏ut the U.S. has been calling for communications on one hand and undermining China91裸聊视频檚 interests and concerns on the other,91裸聊视频� he said.

The U.S. has noted that since 2021 91裸聊视频� well before Li became defense minister 91裸聊视频� China has declined or failed to respond to more than a dozen requests from the U.S. Defense Department to talk with senior leaders, as well as multiple requests for standing dialogues and working-level engagements.

David Rising, The Associated Press

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