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Relations between China and the United States have been tense in
recent months, with the world's two largest economies clashing
over everything from Taiwan and China's human rights record to
its military activity in the South China Sea.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chinese Minister of
National Defence General Wei Fenghe met in Singapore for nearly
an hour, double the time initially allotted for the meeting.
It was the first face-to-face meeting between the pair since
U.S. President Joe Biden took office last year, although they
spoke by phone in April.
Wei said the talks "went smoothly". A Chinese defence ministry
spokesman later said Wei reiterated Beijing's firm stance on
Taiwan, which is that it is part of China.
Austin called on China to "refrain from further destabilising
actions" on Taiwan, a U.S. statement issued after the talks
said.
China, which claims democratic Taiwan as its own territory, has
increased military activity near the island over the past two
years, responding to what it calls "collusion" between Taipei
and Washington.
A Chinese fighter aircraft dangerously intercepted an Australian
military surveillance plane in the South China Sea region in May
and Canada's military has accused Chinese warplanes of harassing
its patrol aircraft as they monitor North Korea sanction
evasions.
(Reporting by Idrees Ali; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan and Joe
Brock)
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