China blames US policy on Taiwan for defence leaders not meeting

BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s defence ministry blamed the United States’ stance on Taiwan for its minister not meeting his U.S. counterpart during a gathering this week in Laos.

Defence Minister Dong Jun turned down the U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s request to meet during a gathering of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) defense ministers, U.S. officials said on Wednesday.

“The U.S. side cannot undermine China’s core interests on the Taiwan issue while engaging with the Chinese military as if nothing is wrong,” a ministry spokesperson said in a statement on Thursday.

The remarks raised questions over whether only a change in U.S. policy towards the island can restore military-to-military talks at the defense minister level between the two countries.

The failure to meet is “entirely the responsibility” of the U.S., the Chinese spokesperson said.

The spokesperson also urged the U.S. to “immediately correct its mistakes” and strive to create favourable conditions for high-level military exchanges between the two sides.

China views democratically-governed Taiwan as its own territory, a claim that Taiwan’s government rejects.

The U.S. is Taiwan’s most important international backer and arms supplier, despite the lack of formal diplomatic recognition.

Austin told reporters on Wednesday that the fact his Chinese counterpart declined to meet did not have any implications for the future.

“I just think that it’s something that they chose to do at this point in time and only they can explain why they chose to not take advantage of a good opportunity,” he added.

Austin met China’s defense minister on the sidelines of a Singapore conference earlier this year, reiterating their differences on Taiwan and other issues but emphasizing the need to keep military-to-military communications open.

(Reporting by Beijing Newsroom and Phil Stewart; Editing by Jan Harvey and Frances Kerry)