AP, BEIJINGChinese Minister of National Defense General Wei Fenghe (魏鳳和) on Tuesday defended his nation’s policy on the controversial issues of Hong Kong and Xinjiang in a telephone conversation with US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper. The Chinese minister also raised the issues of Taiwan and the South China Sea in the telephone conversation with his US counterpart, Xinhua news agency reported. While it is usual for China to reassert its claim to sovereignty over both those areas in talks with the US, the mention of Hong Kong and Xinjiang is more unusual. The centers are seen by critics as a key part of what they call a campaign of cultural genocide. “The two sides should ... continue to advance military-to-military relations to make them a pillar of stability in bilateral relations,” Wei was quoted as saying.

Source: Taipei Times November 06, 2019 16:01 UTC