A meeting between US Secretary of Defense Austin and Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe began in Singapore after 6:30 pm Japan time.

This is the first time that the US and Chinese defense ministers have face-to-face talks since the Biden administration was inaugurated, and it is expected that opinions will be exchanged on the situation in Taiwan.

US Secretary of Defense Austin and Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe have been visiting Singapore to attend the three-day "Asia Security Council" from the 10th, and have been coordinating to meet locally. ..



The meeting began at the hotel, which was the venue, after 6:30 pm Japan time.



This is the first time that the US and Chinese defense ministers, who are deepening conflicts in various fields, have face-to-face talks since the Biden administration was inaugurated in January last year.



At the meeting, Austin raises concerns with Defense Minister Wei about China's move to intensify military activity around Taiwan, the East China Sea and the South China Sea, and will not support Russia as it continues its military invasion of Ukraine. However, it is expected that there will be a backlash from the Chinese side.



As Secretary Austin, I would like to establish a dialogue route to prevent accidental conflicts between the United States and China by communicating with the Defense Ministers.

China-South Korea defense ministers also meet face-to-face and exchange opinions on North Korea

North Korea is also expected to be discussed at the "Asia Security Council," and on the afternoon of the 10th, South Korean Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup and Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe met.



Although the specific exchanges have not been clarified, it seems that opinions were exchanged on North Korea, which has repeatedly launched ballistic missiles and has been pointed out that there are concerns about the seventh nuclear test, and South Korean government officials talked. He said he would seek China's constructive involvement in North Korea.



This is the first time that the defense ministers of China and South Korea have face-to-face talks since the inauguration of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration in South Korea last month.



At the same time as the meeting, a meeting of defense ministers from Japan, the United States and South Korea will be held to confirm cooperation with North Korea.