Shangri-La Dialogue: the right time to talk is now, US defence chief Lloyd Austin says in swipe at China
- Defence secretary says there is no room for bullying or intimidation
- The United States is stepping up planning and training with partners from the South China Sea to the Indian Ocean, he says
Addressing hundreds of officials and analysts at the Shangri-La Dialogue, Austin said: “For responsible defence leaders, the right time to talk is any time. The right time to talk is every time, and the right time to talk is now.”
“And the more that we talk, the more we can avoid the misunderstandings and miscalculations that could lead to crisis or conflict,” he said at the three-day defence forum run by the International Institute for Strategic Studies think tank.
‘Encirclement and containment’
Responding to Austin’s call for talks, Senior Colonel Zhao Xiaozhuo, a Chinese delegate to the conference, said on the sidelines that the US defence secretary wanted to present China as “not being so responsible”.
“But he ignored that US is shoring up military alliances in this region and strengthening its military posture. Everyone can see this policy: encirclement, containment and suppression,” Zhao said.
“You can ask for dialogue, but put away the forceful and aggressive attitude.”
He also said the US needed to stop “interfering in China’s internal affair” of Taiwan.
“You cannot seek dialogue for the sake of dialogue. It needs to resolve problems. You cannot put up a posture of suppression then ask China for dialogue. That’s unreasonable.”
Russia and Ukraine
“Russia’s shocking aggression has brought home to people everywhere how dangerous our world would become if big countries could just invade their neighbours with impunity,” he said.
Ukraine’s invasion has raised speculation about a potential attack by Beijing to bring Taiwan under its control, a stated goal of “national rejuvenation”.
Austin also highlighted defence cooperation and joint military drills between various Asian nations, including exercises between Asean and India, saying those efforts were a “vote” for a peaceful and prosperous future.
Regional partnerships
Austin underlined US resolve to shore up alliances and partnerships in the Asia-Pacific, stressing there was no room for intimidation, bullying or coercion.
He said the US was doubling down on reinforcing its security alliances and partnerships.
“Our shared goals are clear: to deter aggression and to deepen the rules and norms that promote prosperity and prevent conflict,” he said.
South China Sea
“In the South China Sea, we will continue to work with our allies and partners to uphold the freedom of navigation and overflight,” Austin said.
The US has regularly held freedom of navigation operations in the disputed waters despite protests from Beijing.
‘Risky intercepts’
Austin said the US had reinforced deterrence to prevent conflict, and stood for rules and norms that “protect us all”.
He criticised China for conducting “an alarming number of risky intercepts” of US and allied planes in international airspace.
Austin said the encounter was “another troubling case of aggressive and unprofessional flying” by China. Beijing has criticised the US for “provocative” flying.
On the sidelines of the forum, Chinese Lieutenant General He Lei defended the close encounter between China’s J-16 and the US’ RC-135.
“Displaying might and engaging in close reconnaissance and other military activities at China’s doorstep challenges Chinese sovereignty and undermines the security of China,” said He, who is a former deputy director of the PLA Academy of Military Science.
“The Chinese military aircraft’s expulsion mission was necessary to safeguard national interests and security. That is the duty and mission of the Chinese military.”
The Taiwan Strait
Austin said the US network of friendly countries in Asia would defend against coercion, especially in the Taiwan Strait.
“To be clear, we do not seek conflict or confrontation, but we will not flinch in the face of bullying or coercion,” he said.
“And we will continue to categorically oppose unilateral changes to the status quo from either side, also highlight that conflict is neither imminent nor inevitable,” he said.
“Deterrence is strong today, and it’s our job to keep it that way.”
From the Philippines
Speaking at a session on building a stable Asia-Pacific, Carlito Galvez Jr, senior undersecretary and officer-in-charge at the Philippines’ Department of National Defence, said international law was the greatest equaliser among states.
“It is exactly this belief that made us confidently resort [to] the compulsory dispute settlement of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea … and The Hague,” Galvez said.
The view from Canada
In the same plenary session, Canadian National Defence Minister Anita Anand described China as an “increasingly disruptive global power that increasingly disregards international rules and norms”.
“We will challenge China where we are today. We will cooperate with China to find solutions on global issues,” Anand said.
“We have seen increased militarisation by China in the South China Sea, including in the region surrounding Taiwan. And that is concerning and it is really indicative of the need for an approach to be eyes wide open on China.
“[Our approach is] to cooperate with China where we must, but also to challenge China, where its conduct is increasing instability and disruption in the Indo-Pacific region.”
She also highlighted the role of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in the region.
“Canada believes in Asean centrality as the foundation for cooperation and stability in the region,” Anand said.
Indonesia’s Ukraine proposal
Outlining a proposed peace plan for the ongoing war in Ukraine, Indonesian Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto told a conference session that a ceasefire and cessation of hostilities should be put in place, followed by the creation of a 15km (9-mile) demilitarised zone.
“A UN monitoring and observance force should be immediately formed and to be immediately deployed along this demilitarised zone .. and the United Nations should organise, carry out and execute a referendum in the disputed territories to ascertain objectively the wish of the majority of the inhabitants of the various disputed areas,” Subianto said.
Indonesia was prepared to contribute military observers and units under the peacekeeping auspices of the UN.
“Let us not put blame on any side, there are always two versions to any conflict, both sides feel strongly of their righteousness, but for the security of the world and the safety of the innocent, we have to achieve cessation of hostilities as soon as possible,” he added.
Asked whether Indonesia should better delineate between the invader and the invaded, Subianto said he was putting forward a resolution to a conflict and “not saying which side is right or wrong”.
‘North Korea’s unlawful behaviour’
South Korean Defence Minister Lee Jong-sup called for concerted international action in response to missile launches by the North.
“Some countries are ignoring North Korea’s unlawful behaviour that violates the rules-based international order. This creates holes in sanctions against North Korea passed at the UN Security Council,” Lee said.
He said the North Korean regime had secured funds for its missile and nuclear development programmes by “stealing” cryptocurrencies, sending workers overseas and illegal maritime trans-shipment activities.
“Choosing inactivity to North Korea’s unlawful behaviour will worsen the security landscape of not only the Korean peninsula and the Indo-Pacific region but also the entire world, this will also increase our security costs,” Lee added.
Additional reporting by Kimberly Lim and Maria Siow
