According to Lloyd Austin, the failure to meet with Tung Tun has no consequences for the future. The Americans are the most important international supporters and suppliers of arms to Taiwan. China considers it to be its own territory.
Chinese Defense Minister Tung Tun refused a meeting with his US counterpart Lloyd Austin at a meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Laos on Wednesday. The reason was the US position on the issue of Taiwan. This was stated by the Chinese Ministry of Defense on Thursday. TASR informs based on a Reuters report.
Call for immediate correction of errors
“The American side cannot undermine China’s fundamental interests in the Taiwan issue and at the same time communicate with the Chinese military as if nothing is happening,” said a spokesman for the Chinese ministry on Thursday. He also declared that the US is fully responsible for the failure to hold the meeting.
Beijing called on Washington to “immediately correct its mistakes” and tried to create favorable conditions for high-level military contacts between the two sides.
Austin said Wednesday that the failure to hold the meeting has no implications for the future. “I think it’s something they decided to do at this point, and only they can explain why they decided not to take advantage of a good opportunity,” he said.
Sino-Taiwanese dispute
China considers Taiwan part of its territory. After the defeat in the civil war in 1949, the former Chinese government, the Kuomintang, under the leadership of General Chiang Kai-shek, took refuge on the island from the mainland and has had an independent government ever since. Beijing repeatedly declares that one day it will take control of a democratic Taiwan.
The US is the most important international supporter and arms supplier to Taiwan, although it does not have diplomatic relations with the island’s government and does not officially recognize it.
