Higsyth and Dong Jun agree on future dialogue after a "frank and constructive" call
U.S. Secretary of Defense, Pete Higsyth, and his Chinese counterpart, Dong Jun, held a phone call during which they discussed several contentious issues, with the U.S. side emphasizing that it does not seek conflict with China, while his Chinese counterpart warned that any attempt to "subdue" his country is "futile".
Pentagon spokesman, General Sean Parnell, described the talks that took place on Tuesday as "frank and constructive," noting that both sides agreed to hold further discussions in the future.
For his part, the official CCTV network reported Minister Dong Jun warning the United States during the call that "the pursuit of subduing China is futile," stressing that "any intervention or attempt to use force to support independence, or to use Taiwan to subdue China will be thwarted".
According to the U.S. statement, Minister Higsyth clarified that "the United States does not seek conflict with China nor to change the regime or tighten the grip on the People's Republic of China." However, Parnell emphasized that Higsyth explicitly stated that "Washington has vital interests in the Asia-Pacific region, and it will protect these resources firmly."
The issues of Taiwan and the South China Sea formed a major focus of discussions between the two strategic powers. China considers self-governing Taiwan an integral part of its territory, while Washington is committed to defending the island and is its main arms supplier.
Regarding the South China Sea, which China claims full sovereignty over in contrast to its neighbors, CCTV reported Minister Dong saying that Beijing "firmly opposes encroachment and provocation by certain countries and the deliberate incitement of chaos by countries outside the region," referring to regular U.S. maneuvers conducted by U.S. warships aimed at "ensuring freedom of navigation" in the area.
Despite the disagreements, the Chinese minister concluded his remarks with a call for "building a relationship between the two militaries that is equal, based on respect, peaceful coexistence, stable, and positive," emphasizing that "we must respect each other's core interests."
