On Sunday, Chinese Defence Minister Li Shangfu said that conflict with the US would be an “unbearable disaster,” and that Beijing prioritises dialogue over confrontation.
Li’s Remarks
Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Li said the world is big enough for China and the US to grow together.
“China and the US have different systems and are different in many other ways. However, this should not keep the two sides from seeking common ground and common interests to grow bilateral ties and deepen cooperation,” he said, in a speech that marks his first significant international address since taking on the job.
“It is undeniable that a severe conflict or confrontation between China and the US will be an unbearable disaster for the world,” the minister stressed.
Li’s remarks come days after he refused to meet his US counterpart for direct talks.
“Too Close to Our Territory”
On the sidelines of the same event, former Chinese ambassador to the US, Cui Tiankai, told Reuters that the US should hold back from increasing military deployments close to China in an act of “good faith,” if it expects to resume high-level defence talks between the two.
The United States should ease off military deployments close to China in an act of "good faith" if high-level defense talks between the two countries are to resume, former Chinese ambassador to the U.S., Cui Tiankai, said in Singapore on Sunday. Speaking to Reuters on the… pic.twitter.com/w35n9KSfQl
— Zhang Heqing (@zhang_heqing) June 4, 2023
“Why are they coming all the way across the ocean? To our doorsteps? They’re getting too close to our territories, to our territorial waters before anything else,” Cui remarked, referring to the US’ naval and air force deployments close to China.
“If people have such goodwill and if people act in good faith, they could always find effective ways of communication,” he added.
Cui acknowledged that although the two militaries still maintained communication channels, it is uncertain whether there is enough political will to prevent conflicts.
However, Cui said he hopes “things will improve in the coming months and years.” “As a matter of principle, we are always ready for more dialogue with others, including with the United States,” he underscored.
Taiwan Strait Transit
The comments from Chinese diplomats follow a transit by the navies of the US and Canada through the volatile Taiwan Strait, a move that was met with rebuke from China.
China accused the Western powers of “deliberately provoking risk” after Canada’s HMCS Montreal and the US’ guided-missile destroyer USS Chung-Hoon staged a rare joint sailing through the sensitive waterbody.
“The countries concerned deliberately create incidents in the Taiwan Strait region, deliberately provoke risks, maliciously undermine regional peace and stability, and send the wrong signal to ‘Taiwan independence’ forces,” the Eastern Theatre Command of China’s People’s Liberation Army said on Saturday.