Beijing Resists Military Communications With The US Due To Sanctions On Prominent Minister

On Monday, it was verified by the United States that Beijing persistently rebuffs all attempts at initiating military engagements and communication with the Pentagon. In a recent development, the U.S. Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, attempted to establish contact with the Chinese equivalent in rank, Minister of National Defense Li Shangfu, proposing a bilateral discussion to revitalize open dialogue. However, General Li, under sanctions from Washington, insists that these sanctions must be lifted as a prerequisite for any meeting. The Biden administration's bid for a meeting between the military leaders during the Shangri-La Dialogue fell through due to this sanctions issue – a punitive measure that Li has faced since 2018.