the US Secretary of defense in Lloyd Austin is confident that war with China "is neither close nor inevitable", emphasizing the importance of "communicating with each other". He stated this during the International Security Conference "Shangri-La Dialogue" in Singapore on June 1, reports UNN.
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Commenting on the situation in the South China Sea, the head of the Pentagon noted that this is an "alarming problem", but added that in the case of an "open dialogue" it can be resolved.
I have repeatedly said that war or a struggle with China, in my opinion, is neither close nor inevitable. Therefore, the leaders of great powers should continue to cooperate to reduce opportunities for misunderstandings
He also recalled that he had a meeting with Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun, with whom he considered "some issues.
I look forward to seeing this produce results in the future
According to him, the United States seeks to build relations with China on the basis of competition, not disputes. At the same time, Austin stressed that the United States will continue to cooperate with countries in the Asia-Pacific region to ensure the protection of their rights and access to their economic zones.