Secretary Lloyd Austin also issued a warning to Beijing against “risky” military acts during his speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin warned that war with China would be “devastating” during a speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue on Saturday.
Austin warned Beijing against taking further action surrounding the island of Taiwan—long a flashpoint between relations between the United States and China. Beijing’s “One China” policy dictates that Taiwan, an island off the country’s coast, is part of China. Taiwan’s leaders, however, consider the island to be its own nation. While the United States does not officially recognize the island’s independence, it has pledged to defend it against a Chinese invasion. In addition, the dispute of Taiwanese independence has fueled concerns about a larger conflict within the Indo-Pacific region.
Tensions between the U.S. and China over Taiwan have escalated in recent years. China increased the number of military exercises near the island nation amid former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit last year, catalyzing concerns about a conflict between the two nations.
