Politico: Chinese military ignores US attempts to contact them

Chinese military officials did not return multiple calls from their American counterparts this week, reports Politico with reference to sources. According to the publication, Beijing also ignored attempts to contact him by US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley.

Officials and experts interviewed by Politico called China’s silence a short-sighted and reckless move that raises the risk of escalating an already tense situation.

“If a [китайские вооруженные силы] will operate more aggressively and in close proximity to US forces, we will need mechanisms to create a safe operating environment,” said Randy Shriver, a senior Pentagon official in the administration of President Donald Trump.

Formerly the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China announced on the temporary suspension of work or the abolition of cooperation mechanisms with the United States due to the visit to Taiwan of the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the US Congress Nancy Pelosi.

China considers Taiwan to be its province, so the PRC government opposes any contacts between the island’s administration and countries with which Beijing has diplomatic relations. Pelosi arrived in Taiwan on August 2 despite Chinese protest. She said she flew to the island to testify to US support for democracy in Taiwan. The White House said that Pelosi’s trip does not contradict the “one China” policy, which is also followed by the United States. On August 3, the politician left the island nation. The Chinese Foreign Ministry has repeatedly stated that Pelosi’s move will result in “serious consequences.”

The Russian authorities called the visit of the American politician “a pure provocation.” This statement was made by the press secretary of the President of Russia Dmitry Peskov. According to him, the Kremlin believes that no political goals “can be achieved by such provocative steps. The US actions were also condemned by the Russian Foreign Ministry. Later, Pelosi’s trip was commented on by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. According to him, by such actions the United States wants to prove to the whole world its impunity.