Calls China-US Conflict A Disaster, Defense Minister Li Shangfu: Many Differences Don't Be An Obstacle To Looking For A Meeting Point

JAKARTA - Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu said at the summit of the security dialogue on Sunday that the conflict with the United States would be an "irresistible catastrophe", with his country prioritizing dialogue over confrontation.

Speaking to the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue 2023 in Singapore, Defense Minister Li said the world was big enough for China and the US to grow up together, a statement made days after he refused to meet with his US counterpart for direct talks.

"Childs and the US have a different and different system in many ways," he said in his first international speech, since being appointed Chinese National Defense Minister in March.

"However, this should not prevent both parties from seeking common ground and common interest in fostering bilateral relations and deepening cooperation," continued Defense Minister Li.

"It is undeniable that the conflict or severe confrontation between China and the US will be an unbearable disaster for the world," he said.

Wearing the uniform of the General of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), Defense Minister Li delivered his speech right at the time of the 1989-year-old Tiananmen Square incident.

It is known that relations between Washington and Beijing are strained by various issues, including democratically-ruled Taiwan, territorial disputes in the South China Sea and President Joe Biden's restrictions on exports of semiconductor chips.

Earlier, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin rebuked China in a speech at the summit on Saturday, for refusing to hold military talks, leaving the two superpowers deadlocked over their differences.

Secretary Austin said the dialogue was "not a gift, but a must".

Meanwhile, Defense Minister Li was more under control in his speech, although he quipped the United States covertly, accusing "some countries" of intensifying the arms race and deliberately interfering in domestic affairs of other countries.

"The mentality of the Cold War is now rising again, thereby increasing security risks. Respect must be prioritized over oppression and hegemony," explained Defense Minister Li.

Defense Minister Li, who was sanctioned by the United States in 2018 for the purchase of weapons from Russia, shook hands with Defense Secretary Austin at a dinner on Friday, but the two have not had further discussions, despite repeated requests from the US for more military exchanges.