US should create 'necessary atmosphere' for dialogue, says China after rejecting Pentagon request

By Riyaz ul Khaliq and Firdevs Bulut Kartal

ISTANBUL / TORONTO (AA) – After rejecting a US request for a meeting of the two countries’ defense chiefs, China on Tuesday said Washington should create a “necessary atmosphere” for bilateral dialogue.

“The US should be aware of the cause for the difficulties in dialogue between China and US militaries, respect China’s sovereignty, security and interest concerns, immediately correct wrong practices and show sincerity,” said Mao Ning, a spokeswoman for China’s Foreign Ministry.

Bejing called on Washington “to create necessary atmosphere and conditions for dialogues,” Chinese daily Global Times quoted Mao as saying.

The US had requested a meeting of the defense chiefs of the two countries on the sidelines of an annual security forum in Singapore.

China “informed the US that they have declined our invitation for Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin to meet with Minister of National Defense Li Shangfu in Singapore this week,” Pentagon spokesman Patrick Ryder told Anadolu.

Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister Gen. Li Shangfu is attending the 20th Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore from May 31 to June 4.

Lloyd Austin, the US defense secretary, is also attending the dialogue, where global leaders and policymakers will come together to discuss important issues.

Ryder, however, stressed the importance of maintaining open channels of communication between the militaries of the two countries to ensure that competition does not turn into conflict.

Li was promoted as China’s chief defense official earlier this year in March. He faces US sanctions for promoting China-Russia defense dealings.

China’s “unwillingness to engage in meaningful military-to-military discussions” will not diminish the US Defense Department’s commitment to seek open lines of communication with the People’s Liberation Army at multiple levels as part of responsibly managing the relationship, said Ryder.

Li’s sanctions designation under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) does not prevent Austin from meeting with him in the process of conducting official United States government business, noted Ryder.