Chinese defense minister Dong Jun on Friday said that US should exercise caution in its words and actions regarding the Taiwan issue and should oppose its independence. He said that China is committed to peaceful development while ‘resolutely’ safeguarding its national security interests.
The minister’s comments came amid his meeting with his US counterpart Pete Hegseth in Malaysia where the two met for an ASEAN defence summit.
Dong Jun said China and the United States should enhance policy-level communication between their defence departments and increase interactions between their military officers, Reuters reported.
Hegseth meets China, India counterparts
Hegseth spoke on Friday with counterparts from China and India, beginning a series of face-to-face meetings at an ASEAN defence summit in Malaysia, amid Washington’s attempts to boost regional security ties.
Hegseth said on X he told China’s Dong Jun the United States would “stoutly defend its interests” and maintain the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific, while voicing concern about Chinese activities in the disputed South China Sea and around Taiwan.
As Washington looks to tackle China’s growing assertiveness in the region, Hegseth is expected to meet the defence ministers of Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand, among others, said an official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Hegseth met Malaysia’s defence minister on Thursday and both leaders committed to maritime security in the South China Sea.
The busy waterway is claimed almost entirely by China, although it overlaps the exclusive economic zones of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam.
Beijing has deployed a coast guard armada that has clashed repeatedly with Philippine vessels and been accused of disrupting the energy activities of Malaysia and Vietnam.
“Grey-zone tactics, such as hydrographic research conducted under the protection of foreign coast guard vessels, threaten sovereignty and are a clear provocation and threat,” Malaysian minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin said in a joint statement.
Unresolved disputes have festered for years over the sovereignty of islands and features in the South China Sea.
Beijing says its coastguard has operated professionally in defending Chinese territory from incursions.
The United States has sought to shore up its presence in Southeast Asia to counter China’s growing influence.
On Sunday, President Donald Trump told ASEAN leaders the United States was “with you 100% and we intend to be a strong partner for many generations”.
Washington has a defence pact with the Philippines that involves dozens of annual military drills and use of some of its bases, in addition to similar exercises with Thailand and Indonesia and exchanges with Malaysia.
(With inputs from agencies)
