Chinese Defense Minister Dong rejects meeting request from US

Defense ministers from the 10 member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), along with representatives from the US, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and China, gathered in Vientiane, the capital of Laos, for the ASEAN Plus Defense Ministers' Meeting.

Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun rejected a meeting request from US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on the sidelines of the summit.

In a statement regarding the matter, Austin said, "It's unfortunate. It affects the region, because the region really wants to see two significant players, two significant powers, in the region talk to each other."

Austin added, "I don't think it has any implications for the future. I think it's just something that they chose to do at this point in time, and only they can explain why they would choose to not take advantage of a good opportunity."

Austin had previously met with his Chinese counterpart, Dong, last May on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue, an international defense forum. The two ministers reiterated that the US and China have disagreements over Taiwan, but emphasized the importance of keeping military communication channels open.The two ministers had previously emphasized the importance of keeping military communication channels open.

China, which does not recognize Taiwan's independence and considers it part of its own territory, had harshly criticized the US for approving a $2 billion arms sale to Taiwan three weeks ago, announcing that it would "take resolute countermeasures to defend its sovereignty."