ANKARA
Tensions between the US and China took center stage as top defense officials and representatives from nearly 50 countries gathered in Singapore over the weekend for the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s largest security summit.
There was no face-to-face meeting between the American and Chinese defense chiefs, who both used the forum to convey – or rather reaffirm – their respective stances on a range of thorny issues.
Discussions at the summit covered some of the most pressing global and regional security challenges, including the Ukraine war, South China Sea, and the Taiwan issue.
The US was backed by Australia and Japan, who are part of the Washington-led Quad alliance that also includes India and is widely seen as a counterweight to Chinese economic and military influence in the region.
From digs at a “cold war mentality” to veiled jibes at “authoritarian power,” here are the main takeaways from the charged gathering that gave a clear indicator of where all sides stand at the moment:
US-China rifts
China’s Defense Minister Gen. Li Shangfu and US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin traded barbs all through the summit.
Beijing also declined a US request for a meeting between the defense chiefs.
On the second day of the event, there was a near collision in the Taiwan Strait between a Chinese destroyer and a US warship conducting a joint exercise with Canada.
While Li did not directly address the incident, he did allude to how “some country” is escalating an arms race in the region and persistently interfering in internal affairs of the other nations.
He warned that a “Cold War mentality is now resurgent, greatly increasing security risks,” stressing that “mutual respect should prevail over bullying and hegemony.”
“Today, what Asia-Pacific needs are big pies of open and inclusive cooperation, not small cliques that are self-serving and exclusive,” he said.
Austin shot back with his own accusations of “coercion and bullying” as he criticized China for the “alarming number of risky intercepts of US and allied aircraft.”
He said the US “does not seek a new Cold War” and believes that “competition must not spill over into conflict.”
On the need for dialogue, he said Washington “believes that open lines of communication with the People’s Republic of China are essential.”
“For responsible defense leaders, the right time to talk is anytime. The right time to talk is everytime. And the right time to talk is now,” he said.
“A cordial handshake over dinner is no substitute for a substantive engagement,” Austin continued, an apparent reference to China’s refusal for a meeting at the summit.
Austin added that he was “deeply concerned” that China remains “unwilling to engage more seriously on better mechanisms for crisis management.”
Russia-Ukraine war
Almost all speakers expressed concern about the Ukraine war and its impact on the Asia-Pacific region.
From the US and its allies, there were warnings that the conflict could embolden China to take more aggressive actions in the region, and calls for increased cooperation among themselves to deter any such designs.
Austin termed the war a “wake-up call” for the region.
In a remark apparently aimed at China, he said the Ukraine conflict has “demonstrated the risks of an authoritarian power that denies the rights of its people and seeks to expand its influence through coercion and aggression.”
Austin’s Japanese and Australian counterparts Nobuo Kishi and Richard Marles said the crisis served as a reminder that the “rules-based order is under threat.”
Li, meanwhile, held discussions with Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov on the sidelines, emphasizing that Beijing is willing to use “all means” to help end the war.
The summit also saw Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto put forward a proposal for a demilitarized zone between Ukraine and Russia, with both sides withdrawing from each party’s forward positions and a UN force monitoring the zone.
The idea was quickly shot down by Reznikov, who said it was a “strange” proposal that sounded like a “Russian plan.”
South China Sea
The US, its Quad allies Japan and Australia, and the EU pressed on with their demand for freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea, vowing they would not back down on the issue.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the bloc remains “ready to engage with China on the issue of the South China Sea, but we will not compromise on our principles.”
In a more strongly worded statement, Austin said the US “will continue to fly, sail, and operate wherever international law allows.”
“We will uphold freedom of navigation and overflight, and we will work with our allies and partners to do the same,” he said.
Australian Defense Minister Marles called for a united stand “to defend the rules-based order and deter aggression,” again an apparent reference to China.
Li, in turn, asserted that China “would not be intimidated by the US.”
He said Beijing has “indisputable sovereignty” over the South China Sea islands and their adjacent waters, and will not “allow anyone to infringe upon our sovereignty and security interests.”
Taiwan
The US has a longstanding policy of “strategic ambiguity” on Taiwan, which means it has not explicitly stated whether it would defend the island nation in the event of a Chinese attack.
China, on the other hand, has made it clear that it considers Taiwan to be a part of its territory, and would even use force to reunite it with the mainland.
Austin said the US is committed to “our one-China policy,” but will oppose any unilateral changes to the status quo, urging Beijing to “refrain from further destabilizing actions.”
“Make no mistake: conflict in the Taiwan Strait would be devastating,” he warned.
“So we are determined to maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. And so are a number of other countries around the world – and that number continues to grow.”
In a sharp rebuke, Li reiterated that Taiwan is Beijing’s internal matter and it “will not hesitate to fight if anyone dares to separate Taiwan from China.”
“We will fear no opponents and resolutely safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity regardless of any cost,” he said.
‘Asian NATO’
Given the US push for stronger alliances in the region, it was inevitable that there would be comments about an “Asian NATO.”
Several speakers brought up the topic, including Marles and Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, arguing that the region needs a more robust security architecture, beyond existing bilateral arrangements, to deter China’s perceived aggression.
That led to questions being posed to Austin, who stressed that the US and its allies are “not trying to create a NATO in the Indo-Pacific.”
“I don’t think we should drive things to go in one direction or another. We’re not trying to create a NATO in the Indo-Pacific. We value our relationships with our allies and partners,” he said.
Austin, however, said the US is “stepping up planning and coordination and training with our friends from the East China Sea to the South China Sea to the Indian Ocean.”
“That includes staunch allies such as Australia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Philippines, and Thailand. And it includes as well such valued partners as India, Indonesia, Vietnam, and … Singapore,” he added.
The Chinese defense minister had some choice words on the issue, saying that “attempts to push for NATO-like (alliances) in the Asia-Pacific is a way of kidnapping regional countries and exaggerating conflicts and confrontations.”
He warned that such moves endanger regional security and “will only plunge the Asia-Pacific into a whirlpool of disputes and conflicts.”
