Shangri-La Dialogue Security Conference: China says it seeks dialogue instead of confrontation

Speaking at the 20th Shangri-La Dialogue Security Conference taking place in Singapore, Mr. Lee Shangfu accused "some countries" of intensifying the arms race and deliberately interfering in the internal affairs of other countries.

Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu. Photo: AP

According to China's Defense Minister, the Cold War mentality is on the rise and significantly increases security risks. Li Shangfu also warned against the establishment of "NATO-like" military alliances in the Asia-Pacific region, saying that these alliances would push the region into a "spiral" of conflict. According to the head of China's Defense Ministry, the Asia-Pacific today needs open and comprehensive cooperation, not small-group fraternization.

Also in his first major international speech since assuming his new post in March, Minister Li Shangfu stressed that the world is big enough for China and the US to develop together. “China and the US have different systems and they differ in many aspects. However, this should not prevent the two sides from seeking common ground and common interests to develop bilateral relations and deepen cooperation. It is undeniable that a serious conflict or confrontation between China and the US would be an unbearable disaster for the world,” he said.

For its part, the Pentagon has voiced concerns about the "increasingly dangerous and coercive activities" of the Chinese military in Asia. Pentagon spokesman Brigadier General Pat Ryder - who is accompanying US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore - stated: "We remain concerned about the increasingly dangerous and coercive activities of the PLA (People's Liberation Army of China) in the region, including in recent days."

In a statement earlier on June 3, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said that Beijing's refusal to hold talks on the sidelines of the Singapore meeting had undermined efforts to maintain peace in the region. In response, a senior Chinese military official said that the US was responsible for breaking down the dialogue by increasing sanctions on Chinese officials and destabilizing the Asia-Pacific with its military presence. "The military relationship between China and the US is facing difficulties and the responsibility lies entirely with the US," Lieutenant General Geng Jianfeng told reporters on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue. "China attaches great importance to the development of China-US military relations, and our interactions and communications have never been suspended," he stressed. On June 4, US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink will visit China as part of a series of meetings that Washington is trying to arrange to prevent relations between the two countries from getting worse./.