US Defense Chief Lloyd Austin Asks to Meet With China’s Still-Unnamed Counterpart
- Lloyd Austin again trying to meet with Chinese counterpart
- US-China talks on maritime, nuclear issues add to optimism
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Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin is making another attempt to meet with his Chinese counterpart this month as overall relations between the world’s biggest economies improve.
Austin’s office formally requested that a sitdown be arranged at the upcoming Asean Defense Ministers Meeting-Plus in Jakarta, Indonesia, even though the Chinese position is vacant, a senior US defense official told reporters Monday. The previous minister, Li Shangfu, was ousted last month, and Beijing has yet to announce his replacement.