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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
World
Guardian staff and agencies

Li Shangfu: China’s defence minister at Shangri-La Dialogue warns of ‘cold war mentality’ in digs at US

Li Shangfu, China’s defence minister, salutes before delivering a speech in Singapore where he implicitly criticised the US and other countries
Li Shangfu, China’s defence minister, salutes before delivering a speech in Singapore where he implicitly criticised the US and other countries. Photograph: Vincent Thian/AP

China’s defence minister, Li Shangfu, has said a cold war mentality is resurgent in the Asia-Pacific region, but Beijing seeks dialogue over confrontation. The remarks came after Li refused to formally meet the US defence secretary, Lloyd Austin, at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.

Speaking at the dialogue, Asia’s top security summit, on Sunday, Li took thinly veiled digs at the US, repeating familiar grievances and accusing “some countries” of intensifying an arms race and interfering in the internal affairs of others.

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