Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe met his Australian counterpart Richard Marles in Singapore on Sunday for the first time after three years of chilly relations between the countries.
The talks between the parties, which took place during the Shangri-La Dialogue defense forum in Singapore, were described as “an important first step” after the countries experienced a period of frosty relations in recent years. This, among other things, after Australia stopped the Chinese telecom giant Huawei from building the country’s 5G network.
“The relationship between Australia and China is complex, which is why it is also very important that we have a dialogue at present,” the Australian Secretary of Defense said after the meeting.
No comment has yet been made by Chinese government sources.
Taiwan hot question
During the defense forum, the Chinese Minister of Defense also met with his American counterpart Lloyd Austin and then, among other things, discussed Taiwan.
On Sunday, Wei Fenghe also responded to an earlier statement from Austin, in which the US Secretary of Defense said that China must refrain from “further destabilizing measures” against Taiwan.
– We will fight at all costs to stop Taiwan’s independence – and we will not give up. No one should ever underestimate the determination of the Chinese army and its ability to safeguard its territorial integrity, said the Chinese Foreign Minister.
First ministerial meeting
Taiwan operates in practice as an independent state and has unofficial contacts that correspond to diplomatic ties with many countries. China sees Taiwan as a breakaway region to be reunited with China.
The meeting between the Chinese and US defense ministers was the first since Austin, who was appointed defense minister in January 2021, took office.