US and Chinese Defense Chiefs to Meet in Singapore After Taiwan Military Drills

The upcoming meeting aims to manage tensions and rebuild military communication channels between the two powers.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun will meet at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore next week.
The meeting follows recent large-scale Chinese military exercises around Taiwan, which raised regional tensions.
This will be the first face-to-face meeting between Austin and Dong since their phone call in April, aimed at warming relations.
China's military drills were a response to the inauguration of Taiwan's new president, Lai Ching-te.
Austin's travel plans include stops in Cambodia for ASEAN talks and France for D-Day commemorations.