Originally published by Gatestone Institute
Commentary
“We believe in the importance of maintaining open lines of communication between the United States and the PRC [People’s Republic of China] in order to responsibly manage the relationship,” declared Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon spokesman, in a Feb. 7 statement. “Unfortunately, the PRC has declined our request. Our commitment to open lines of communication will continue.”
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had tried to arrange a telephone conversation with China’s Defense Minister Gen. Wei Fenghe, after the Feb. 4 shoot-down of the Chinese spy balloon, but the Chinese official refused to take the call.
Austin must now be accustomed to being rebuffed by Wei. In November in Cambodia at a meeting of defense ministers, Austin proposed reopening communication channels that Beijing had ended after then Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s trip to Taipei. The Chinese so far have not replied….