He said Washington would back smaller countries against pressure from Beijing, but that they should not be forced to choose a side in the U.S.-China rivalry. AdvertisementChinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe is scheduled to make a rebuttal Sunday morning with a speech outlining China’s vision of regional security. Beijing has long argued that China is trying to make a peaceful rise and says the United States is the aggressor. President Biden raised eyebrows last month by saying the United States would respond militarily to a Chinese invasion of Taiwan, in an apparent shift from Washington’s long-standing stance of strategic ambiguity. Austin said the United States was working to increase communication with China to “strengthen the guard rails against conflict” and decrease risk of miscalculation on either side.

Source: Washington Post June 12, 2022 00:34 UTC