Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin stated that war with China is neither imminent nor unavoidable, adopting a conciliatory tone after his first in-person meeting with his Chinese counterpart.
Speaking at a security summit in Singapore, Austin indicated the Biden administration’s desire to ease tensions with China despite increasing military activities around Taiwan and the South China Sea by both nations. “Our goal is to ensure things don’t spiral out of control unnecessarily,” Austin said at the Shangri-La Dialogue, an annual defense officials’ gathering organized by the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies.
“A conflict with China is neither imminent nor unavoidable, in my view,” he reiterated.
Austin’s comments followed a 75-minute meeting with Chinese Defense Minister Adm. Dong Jun on Friday. The two agreed to reopen direct lines of communication to reduce U.S.-China friction and maintain a delicate rapprochement. A U.S. official described the meeting as “clear and candid,” while a Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman called it “positive.”
During his speech, Austin emphasized the U.S.’s continued support for allies and partners concerned by China’s increased military activity in the Indo-Pacific, a statement that prompted a rebuke from a top Chinese official. He stressed that despite significant U.S. involvement in conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, Asia remains America’s “priority theater of operations.”
Austin outlined Washington’s efforts to integrate the militaries and defense industries of “like-minded” nations committed to a “free and open Indo-Pacific.” He highlighted the strengthened security ties between the U.S., South Korea, and Japan in response to rising threats from China and North Korea.
Tensions have recently escalated as both China and the U.S. object to each other’s military activities around Taiwan and in the South China Sea, which China claims almost entirely, including areas claimed by other countries like the Philippines, a U.S. treaty ally. Chinese vessels have increasingly disrupted Philippine missions to supply marines stationed on the disputed Second Thomas Shoal. The U.S. has repeatedly warned that an “armed attack” on Philippine vessels would trigger their mutual defense pact.
“The harassment faced by the Philippines is dangerous—pure and simple,” Austin said. “We all share an interest in keeping the South China Sea open and free.”
China has continued to assert its claims in the South China Sea, through which trillions of dollars in trade flow annually, by building fortified artificial islands intended to deny the U.S. Navy freedom of navigation in the area.
Austin detailed what he termed “historic progress” over the past three years with allies and partners across the Asia-Pacific. He highlighted ventures to co-produce jet-fighter engines and armored vehicles with India and expanded joint military exercises with the Philippines, Thailand, and Indonesia. The U.S. is also collaborating with Japan to counter threats from hypersonic weapons.
Without directly naming China, Austin stated that critics would oppose these efforts, rejecting the rule of law and attempting to impose their will through coercion and aggression. A senior Chinese delegate at the Shangri-La Dialogue responded sternly to Austin’s remarks.
Lt. Gen. Jing Jianfeng, deputy chief of the Chinese military’s Joint Staff Department, accused the U.S. of promoting cooperation but in reality building exclusive clubs that sow division. He claimed the U.S. aims to form an Asia-Pacific version of NATO to maintain American hegemony and that the U.S. strengthens its military presence to force other countries to choose sides, creating chaos and binding regional countries to the “American war chariot.”
Jing also accused Austin of implicitly criticizing China’s “legitimate operations to protect our rights” around Second Thomas Shoal and called Austin’s remarks “completely unreasonable,” adding that the Philippines and the U.S. were provoking confrontation and crisis.
In a question-and-answer session following Austin’s speech, Senior Col. Cao Yanzhong, a research fellow at China’s Academy of Military Sciences, asked if the U.S. was pursuing a NATO-like alliance in Asia. He suggested that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was prompted by NATO expansion, a claim often made by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“I respectfully disagree that NATO expansion caused the Ukraine crisis,” Austin responded, drawing applause from the audience. “The Ukraine crisis was caused because Mr. Putin decided to unlawfully invade his neighbor, who had an inferior military at the time. He assumed he could quickly roll over and annex the country. That was over two years ago. He has not achieved any of his strategic objectives to this point.”
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