China rejects US proposal for defence chiefs' meeting at Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore

China has outrightly declined a request by US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin to hold a meeting with his Chinese counterpart Li Shangfu at the Shangri-La Dialogue Security Forum in Singapore this week. China's opposition to the meeting comes amid strained relations between the two nuclear states as a result of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan in August of last year and the US's choice to shoot down a Chinese spy balloon that flew over critical US military installations in February.

The Pentagon in a statement stated that Beijing had turned down an invitation for a meeting that was extended in early May, but added that the US would still work to improve communication channels despite the rejection. “The PRC’s concerning unwillingness to engage in meaningful military-to-military discussions will not diminish the Department of Defense’s commitment to seeking open lines of communication with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) at multiple levels as part of responsibly managing the relationship,” Pentagon Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder said in the statement.

Human Rights in Xinjiang and restrictions on Freedom in Hong Kong

In response, citing US restrictions imposed on Chinese officials, institutions, and businesses, the Chinese Embassy in the US questioned the authenticity and importance of the offer. The statement made no mention of the US sanctions against Li that were put in place in 2018 as a result of China's acquisition of Russian weapons, including a Su-35 combat aircraft and an S-400 surface-to-air missile system.

China was slapped with multiple sanctions by the US over alleged violations of human rights in Xinjiang and limitations on political freedom in Hong Kong.

In the statement, Chinese Embassy spokesman Liu Pengyu said “China always firmly opposes illegal unilateral sanctions and has made clear its stern position to the US side. The US side should immediately lift sanctions and take concrete actions to remove obstacles, create favourable atmosphere and conditions for dialogue and communication."