China’s defense chief turns down meeting with Austin during forum in Singapore

China’s defense chief has turned down a face-to-face meeting with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin when they attend the annual Shangri-La Dialogue security forum in Singapore next weekend.

A Pentagon spokesman confirmed Tuesday that Beijing has declined an invitation on behalf of China’s defense minister, Gen. Li Shangfu.

“The Department [of Defense] believes strongly in the importance of maintaining open lines of military-to-military communications between Washington and Beijing to ensure that competition does not veer into conflict,” Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said in a statement to The Washington Times.

Beijing’s “concerning unwillingness” to engage in a meaningful dialogue won’t diminish the Defense Department’s commitment to seeking open lines of communication with leaders of China’s People’s Liberation Army at multiple levels to manage the relationship between both nations, Gen. Ryder said.

But Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning said Washington is responsible for any breakdown in communications.

“The U.S. should earnestly respect China’s sovereignty, security and interest concerns; immediately correct wrong practices; show sincerity; and create necessary atmosphere and conditions for dialogue and communications between Chinese and U.S. militaries,” Ms. Mao said Tuesday at a press conference.

Gen. Li was sanctioned by the U.S. government in 2018, when he was in charge of the department that oversees China’s military technology. He is accused of taking part in a plan to buy Russian Su-35 combat aircraft and materials for surface-to-surface missiles from a sanctioned Russian company.

But Pentagon officials insist the sanctions wouldn’t prevent Gen. Li from speaking with Mr. Austin as part of official business.

A senior Pentagon official said the rebuff is only the latest from Beijing. China has refused more than a dozen such requests for high-level dialogue since 2021.

“Regarding their reasoning, we would refer you to the PRC [People’s Republic of China],” the Pentagon official said.