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. Meanwhile, China has continued to build up its military while also seeking to expand its reach in the Indo-Pacific region.
Austin noted during his remarks at the summit in Singapore that the "whole world has a stake in maintaining peace and stability" in Taiwan, pointing to the importance of ensuring the security of commercial shipping lanes in the region. Global supply chains, as well as the freedom of navigations, rely on peace in the region he said, warning of the far-reaching effects of a war in Taiwan.
"But make no mistake: conflict in the Taiwan Strait would be devastating," he said.
Austin Warns China Over Recent Military Engagements
His warning against an escalated conflict with China comes after a Chinese jet recently engaged with the U.S. military. Authorities on Tuesday said that a Chinese J-16 fighter pilot performed an "unnecessarily aggressive maneuver" on a U.S. military plane this past Friday, allegedly flying directly in front of its nose.
Austin also issued a warning to China against "risky" military acts during his speech.
"The People's Republic of China continues to conduct an alarming number of risky intercepts of U.S. and allied aircraft flying lawfully in international airspace. And we've all just seen another troubling case of aggressive and unprofessional flying by the PRC," he said.
He added that the U.S. does "not seek conflict or confrontation" with China, but "will not flinch in the face of bullying or coercion," and that this position is "especially important in the Taiwan Strait."
The U.S. is "deeply committed to preserving the status quo" in Taiwan, where conflict is "neither imminent or inevitable," Austin reiterated.
"President Biden has been clear. The United States does not seek a new Cold War. And competition must not spill over into conflict. And the region should never be split into hostile blocs," Austin said.
While U.S. officials have not said a war against China is imminent, they have been preparing for that possibility. In April, U.S. forces conducted an exercise in which they simulated defending Taiwan against a Chinese invasion.
When reached by Newsweek, a Department of Defense spokesperson declined to comment further.
