China’s Li says clash with US would be ‘unbearable disaster’

Defense minister says Beijing seeks dialogue with US and warns against ‘NATO-like’ alliances in Asia Pacific.

Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu said Beijing seeks dialogue on confrontation with the United States, warning that any conflict between the two nations would bring “unbearable disaster to the world.”

Speaking in Asia’s top security summitAt the Shangri-La Dialogue on Sunday, Li said the world was big enough for China and the US to grow together.

“China and the US have different systems and they are different in many other ways,” he said in a speech that marked his first significant international address since he was appointed China’s national defense minister in March.

“However, this should not prevent the two sides from seeking common ground and common interests to grow bilateral ties and deepen cooperation,” he said.

“It is undeniable that a severe conflict or confrontation between China and the US will be an unbearable disaster for the world.”

Ties between Washington and Beijing are very tense on a variety of topics, including democratically governed Taiwan, territorial disputes in the South China Sea, and US President Joe Biden’s restrictions on semiconductor chip exports.

In their latest spat, China’s military criticized the US and Canada for “deliberately causing risk” after the countries’ navies staged a rare joint sailing through the sensitive Taiwan Strait on Saturday.

United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin chided china in a speech at the security meeting in Singapore on Saturday to refusing to hold military talksleaving the superpowers bogged down by their differences.

Li, whom the United States sanctioned in 2018 for arms purchases from Russia, shook hands with Austin at a dinner on Friday, but the two have not had a deeper discussion, despite Washington’s repeated demands for more exchanges. military.

“I am deeply concerned that the PRC (People’s Republic of China) has not been willing to engage more seriously in better crisis management mechanisms between our two militaries,” Austin said at the meeting in Singapore.

“The more we talk, the more we can avoid misunderstandings and miscalculations that could lead to crisis or conflict.”

Austin added that the United States was “deeply committed” to preserving the status quo in Taiwan and opposes unilateral changes by either side.

“The conflict is not imminent or inevitable. The deterrence is strong today and it is our job to keep it that way,” Austin said.

“To be clear, we are not looking for conflict or confrontation,” he said. “But we will not back down from intimidation or coercion.”

Li, dressed in the uniform of a Chinese People’s Liberation Army general, was more restrained in his speech, though he mocked the United States, accusing “some countries” of escalating an arms race and deliberately interfering in internal affairs. of others.

He warned against establishing “NATO-like” military alliances in the Asia Pacific, saying they would only plunge the region into a “whirlwind of disputes and conflicts.”

“Now a Cold War mentality is resurfacing, greatly increasing security risks,” he said. “Mutual respect must prevail over bullying and hegemony.”

Li appeared to be referring to Washington’s strengthening alliances and partnerships in the region, including its AUKUS alliance with Australia and the UK.

The United States is also a member of the Quad group, which includes Australia, India, and Japan.