A high-stakes diplomatic face-off in Laos has left U.S.-China military relations frostier than a Beijing winter ❄️. Here's why Taiwan remains the sticking point:
China's Defense Ministry spokesperson Wu Qian blamed Washington Thursday for the failure of Defense Minister Dong Jun to meet U.S. counterpart Lloyd Austin during ASEAN security talks in Vientiane. The Pentagon had earlier confirmed China declined the requested meeting.
🔥 'You can't stab us in the back on Taiwan while acting like everything's normal,' Wu stated, comparing U.S. Taiwan policies to 'playing with fire'. Beijing claims recent U.S. arms sales to the island of Taiwan violate agreements about the One-China principle.
With both superpowers' defense chiefs attending the same ASEAN-Plus meetings, this snub highlights how cross-strait tensions could derail global security cooperation. China demands the U.S. 'correct mistakes' before restarting high-level military dialogues.
