The Pentagon is seeking a meeting between Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and his Chinese counterpart in Singapore next month, according to people familiar with the matter, as the Biden administration tries again to restart military contacts despite China’s earlier refusal.
The people with knowledge of the U.S. outreach to Defense Minister Li Shangfu asked not to be identified discussing private deliberations.
Lt. Col. Martin Meiners, a Defense Department spokesperson, said the department did not have any meetings to announce. Using the abbreviation for the People’s Republic of China, he added that the Pentagon "seeks to maintain open lines of communication with PRC military leaders, including the PRC minister of National Defense.”