Beijing has declined an invitation to meet with top U.S. officials this coming weekend, according to the Pentagon on May 29.
The decision effectively shutters the potential dialogue between Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Beijing’s new defense minister, Li Shangfu.
“Overnight, the [People’s Republic of China (PRC)] informed the U.S. that they have declined our early May invitation for Secretary Austin to meet with PRC Minister of National Defense Li Shangfu in Singapore this week,” the Pentagon said in a statement to the Wall Street Journal.
“The Department believes strongly in the importance of maintaining open lines of military-to-military communication between Washington and Beijing to ensure that competition does not veer into conflict.”…