Blinken says "regrettable" that U.S. Chinese defense chiefs did not meet
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U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken participates in a virtual bilateral meeting with Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta during a videoconference at the State Department in Washington, U.S., April 27, 2021. REUTERS/Leah Millis/Pool/File Photo
LULEA, Sweden, May 31 (Reuters) - It was "regrettable" that a possible meeting between U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chinese defense minister Li Shangfu did not go ahead, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday.
Speaking at a news conference in Sweden, Blinken repeated the importance of regular and open lines of communication with Beijing. "The most dangerous thing is not to communicate," he added.
Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop, Humeyra Pamuk; Editing by Doina Chiacu
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Wednesday, May 31, 2023 at 2:00 pm