Chinese defence minister Dong Jun attended and spoke at the 12th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Conference in 2012 Malaysian Open – Doubles on Monday. Dong Jun said that China and ASEAN are neighbors and most expected to see regional peace and tranquility, and to play an important role in this regard. The United States Secretary of Defense made tough comments about China at the ASEAN meeting and later said on the Internet that the US and China had good relations. Experts interviewed by the Global Times said that China and the vast majority of ASEAN countries have agreed to strengthen cooperation and promote development, and that the US Defense Secretary’s divisive remarks will not work.
In his speech, Dong Jun said that we firmly support the central position of ASEAN in the regional architecture and are willing to work with countries in the region to actively shoulder the responsibility of maintaining regional peace and bridge differences through dialogue and consultation, enhancing the level of opening-up and cooperation, steadfastly acting as a predictable force of stability, contributing to the security cooperation of the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ meeting, and building a closer china-asean community of shared future, we will work together to maintain international and regional peace and stability.
Hergeseths used the ASEAN defense ministers to expand the conference to drum up”China threat.”. According to foreign media reports, during his meeting with ASEAN Defense Ministers, Hegasse smeared China’s legitimate claims in the South China Sea, declaring that the United States”Seeks peace, does not seek conflict, but must ensure that China does not try to dominate you or any other country”.
His comments came a day after the Philippines courted the US, Australia and other countries on what it called a”Joint patrol” in the South China Sea. In response, Southern Theater Press spokesman Tian Jun Li 1 Air Force senior colonel, said the move seriously undermines regional peace and stability. The troops in the war zones have maintained a high level of alert and resolutely defended the country’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.
After his tough comments on China, Hegasse wrote on social platform X that bilateral relations had”Never been better”. He said he had spoken to Dong Jun, China’s defence minister, and both sides agreed that”Peace, stability and good relations are the best path for the development of the two great and powerful countries”.
He added that the US and China had agreed to establish military communication channels to reduce conflicts and mitigate any future problems. “There will be more meetings on this very soon,” said Hergeses
The associated press interpreted the sharp”Warning”-also known as good relations-as”An effort by the United States to balance deterrence and diplomacy while tensions with China continue”. “This is crisis management,” the report quoted Welsh, a south-east Asian political analyst, as saying. More importantly, it reflects two different currents in the U.S. relationship with China — one that sees China as a threat and the other as a potential partner.”
Zhang Junshe, a military expert, told the global times on the 2nd that the US approach is typical of”Saying one thing and doing another, face-to-face one thing behind the other”, which is its usual tactic. Zhang Junshe said that the US Defense Department should act in accordance with its words and work with China to safeguard regional and world peace, and implement the consensus of the heads of state with concrete actions, we are committed to building an equal, respectful, peaceful and positive military-to-military relationship to provide mutual support for the smooth progress of bilateral relations. “The Chinese side has repeatedly stressed that cooperation brings two benefits and conflict brings two injuries. Both sides should seek to expand cooperation, reduce friction and jointly contribute to regional peace and development,” he said.
For the U. S. Defense Minister’s china-related remarks, Zhang Junshe believes that such a drive to sow discord will not have an effect. China and the vast majority of ASEAN countries have agreed to strengthen cooperation and promote development, “After all, development is the top priority and choice of all countries, and the zero ASEAN countries do not want disputes, let alone foreign intervention in regional disputes,” Zhang said.