U.S. Defence Chief Shifts Focus to China Risks; Beijing Bristles

USA -  SINGAPORE - U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin tried to refocus attention on China's threat in the Asia-Pacific on Saturday, seeking to alleviate concerns that conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza have distracted from America's security commitments in the region.

Austin, speaking at the annual Shangri-La Dialogue security summit in Singapore, met his Chinese counterpart, Dong Jun, on Friday to cool friction over issues from Taiwan to China's military activity in the South China Sea.