U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth met with China’s Defense Minister Gen. Dong Jun on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Oct. 31. Unlike in the meeting between their two Presidents, the issue of Taiwan was discussed. The meeting, however, seemed to be more cordial than usual, given the agreement achieved during the summit meeting between China’s Presidents Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump.
Defense Minister Dong Jun said that that meeting had provided strategic guidance for stable development in the next stage of the bilateral relationship, pointing out that China and the U.S. can achieve mutual success and common prosperity. At the same time Dong Jun emphasized that the reunification of the two sides of the Taiwan Strait was an unstoppable historical trend and that the U.S. should exercise caution in its words and actions on the Taiwan issue and unequivocally oppose “Taiwan independence.” China is committed to peaceful development while resolutely safeguarding its national security interests, Dong said, and has the full capability to calmly respond to any infringements or provocations.
