Austin spoke with Chinese Minister of Defense

The ministers discussed US-China relations in the field of defense, as well as issues of regional and global security.

Austin emphasized the importance of respecting freedom of navigation in international waters, guaranteed by international law, especially in the South China Sea. He also discussed Russia's unprovoked war against Ukraine and expressed concern over recent provocations by North Korea.

The Secretary reaffirmed that the US remains committed to our long-standing One China policy, guided by the Taiwan Relations Act, the Three Joint Communiques between the US and China, and the Six Assurances, and he underscored the importance of peace and stability across the strait.

US-China relations

Earlier, we reported that the US raised the issue of China's support for Russian aggression within the G7.

By the way, the US has expressed concern to China over its support for Russia's defense sector.