U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin vowed Saturday that Washington would not stand for any 鈥渃oercion and bullying鈥� of its allies and partners by China, while assuring Beijing that the United States remains committed to maintaining the status quo on Taiwan and would prefer dialogue over conflict.

Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue, an annual forum bringing together top defense officials, diplomats and leaders in Singapore, Austin lobbied for support for Washington鈥檚 vision of a 鈥渇ree, open, and secure Indo-Pacific within a world of rules and rights鈥� as the best course to counter increasing Chinese assertiveness in the region.

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The U.S. has been expanding its own activities around the Indo-Pacific to counter sweeping territorial claims from China, including regularly sailing through and flying over the Taiwan Strait and in the South China Sea.

鈥淲e are committed to ensuring that every country can fly, sail and operate wherever international law allows,鈥� he said at the forum hosted by the International Institute for Strategic Studies think tank. 鈥淎nd every country, large or small, must remain free to conduct lawful maritime activities.鈥�

Austin noted that the U.S. had provided millions of doses of the COVID-19 vaccine during the height of the pandemic and is regularly involved in disaster relief and humanitarian assistance efforts in the region. He said it is working to combat climate change, illegal fishing and ensure that supply chains do not suffer disruptions 鈥� ticking off many issues of importance to Asian-Pacific nations.

鈥淲e鈥檙e doubling down on our alliances and partnerships,鈥� he said.

He said the U.S. is also committed to deterring North Korea鈥檚 missile threat and China鈥檚 claims on Taiwan, a self-governing island democracy that Beijing says is its territory, and said Washington has been stepping up defense planning, coordination and training with partner nations in the region.

鈥淭o be clear, we do not seek conflict or confrontation,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut we will not flinch in the face of bullying or coercion.鈥�

Underscoring Austin鈥檚 words, a U.S. guided-missile destroyer and a Canadian frigate sailed Saturday through the Taiwan Strait, 鈥渨aters where high-seas freedoms of navigation and overflight apply in accordance with international law,鈥� the U.S. 7th Fleet said. There was no immediate word of a Chinese response.

In Singapore, Chinese Lt. Gen. Jing Jianfeng, a senior member of the delegation accompanying Defense Minister Gen. Li Shangfu, accused Austin of 鈥渙vertly or covertly making false accusations against China鈥� in his address.

Speaking with reporters after Austin spoke, Jing alleged the U.S. has been 鈥渄eceiving and exploiting鈥� Asia-Pacific nations to advance its own self-interests to preserve 鈥渋ts dominant position鈥� in the region.

He suggested that Washington has been holding on to alliances that are 鈥渞emnants of the Cold War鈥� and establishing new pacts, like the AUKUS agreement with Britain and Australia and the 鈥淨uad鈥� grouping with Australia, India and Japan 鈥渢o divide the world into ideologically-driven camps and provoke confrontation.鈥�

Jing, who took no questions, said that by contrast, 鈥淐hina is committed to the region鈥檚 development and prosperity.鈥�

Austin sought to assure China that the U.S. remained 鈥渄eeply committed鈥� to the longstanding one-China policy, which recognizes Beijing as the government of China but allows informal relations with Taiwan, and continues to 鈥渃ategorically oppose unilateral changes to the status quo from either side.鈥�

He added that Russia鈥檚 invasion of Ukraine had served to underline how dangerous the world would be if big countries were able to 鈥渏ust invade their peaceful neighbors with impunity.鈥�

鈥淐onflict is neither imminent nor inevitable,鈥� Austin said. 鈥淒eterrence is strong today 鈥� and it鈥檚 our job to keep it that way. The whole world has a stake in maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.鈥�

But Jing accused the U.S. of hollowing out the one-China policy, accusing Washington of supporting Taiwanese separatists without citing any evidence, and reiterating Beijing鈥檚 claim that 鈥淭aiwan is an inalienable part of China鈥檚 sovereign territory.鈥�

鈥淭here鈥檚 no room for us to concede or compromise,鈥� he said.

He added that 鈥淐hina has indisputable sovereignty over the South China Sea islands and the adjacent waters.鈥�

Li, who became China鈥檚 defense minister in March, declined Austin鈥檚 invitation to talk on the sidelines of the conference, though the two did shake hands before sitting down at opposite sides of the same table together as the forum opened Friday.

Austin said this was not enough.

鈥淎 cordial handshake over dinner is no substitute for a substantive engagement,鈥� he said.

Li, who was named defense minister in March, is under American sanctions that are part of a broad package of measures against Russia 鈥� but predate its invasion of Ukraine 鈥� that were imposed in 2018 over Li鈥檚 involvement in China鈥檚 purchase of combat aircraft and anti-aircraft missiles from Moscow.

The sanctions, which broadly prevent Li from doing business in the United States, do not prevent him from holding official talks, American defense officials have said.

It was not clear whether Li, who is to address the forum Sunday morning, was in the room while Austin talked. He did join the American defense secretary and others later for a ministerial roundtable.

Austin reiterated calls that Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese made in his opening address at the forum for China to engage in regular, direct communications to help prevent any possible conflict.

鈥淔or responsible defense leaders, the right time to talk is anytime,鈥� Austin said. 鈥淭he right time to talk is every time. And the right time to talk is now.鈥�

Jing said, however, that lines of communication needed to be based upon 鈥渕utual respect.鈥�

鈥淏ut the U.S. has been calling for communications on one hand and undermining China鈥檚 interests and concerns on the other,鈥� he said.

The U.S. has noted that since 2021 鈥� well before Li became defense minister 鈥� China has declined or failed to respond to more than a dozen requests from the U.S. Defense Department to talk with senior leaders, as well as multiple requests for standing dialogues and working-level engagements.

David Rising, The Associated Press

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