US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Saturday said a constant dialogue with China and its neighbors was needed to prevent an escalation of current tensions in the Asia-Pacific region, while underscoring Washington's regional security commitment, APA reports citing DW.
Austin's comments at the Shangri-La Dialogue security forum in Singapore come as the US deepens defense ties with several Asian-Pacific countries in the face of growing territorial assertion by China.
The conference is taking place a week after China carried out military drills around the self-ruled island of Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its own, as a "punishment" for comments seen as advocating separatism made in the inauguration speech of new Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te.
"Every conversation is not going to be a happy conversation. But it is important that we continue to talk to each other," Austin told the conference, adding that "a war or a fight with China is neither imminent, in my view, or unavoidable."
However, Austin did place great emphasis on Washington's commitment to security in the region, reflected in a growing number of defense partnerships.
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