The Chinese Minister of Defense will meet Friday, June 10 with his American counterpart in Singapore, against a backdrop of tensions between the two rival powers, announced the national television CCTV.
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“Wei Fenghe will meet Lloyd Austin for the first time this afternoon“Since the latter took office, on the sidelines of the security forum of the”Shangri La’s Dialoguestaged in the city-state, the channel said. The subjects of friction have multiplied in recent years between the two countries: South China Sea, growing influence of China in Asia-Pacific, war in Ukraine or even Taiwan.
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Taiwan, at the heart of tensions
China considers this island of 24 million people to be one of its historic provinces, although it does not control the territory. And Beijing has in recent years militarily increased pressure against the island. The meeting between Wei Fenghe and Lloyd Austin comes a few weeks after the incursion of 30 Chinese military planes into the air defense identification zone (“Adiz) of Taiwan – the largest such operation in 2022. The United States has accused China of escalating tensions over Taiwan, with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken citing the incursions as a sign “increasingly provocative rhetoric and activityfrom Beijing.
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The Shangri-la Dialogue, a forum that brings together senior military officials, diplomats and arms giants, is taking place in Singapore from June 10-12. It is the first time the event has been held since 2019, having been postponed twice due to the Covid-19 pandemic.