Mattis to meet Chinese counterpart amid tensions
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Singapore: US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis is set to meet his Chinese counterpart Thursday after earlier talks were scrapped amid soaring tensions between the nuclear powers over trade tariffs and sanctions.
The much-anticipated meeting between the Pentagon chief and General Wei Fenghe on the sidelines of a regional security summit in Singapore is expected to see the men pursue more durable military relations that can better withstand political and economic crises.
The fact that Mattis "is meeting with Minister Wei is some evidence that the Chinese are interested in keeping things normal and stable -- as are we," Randall Schriver, the Pentagon's assistant secretary of defence for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs, told reporters.
"We need to make sure that when we step on one another's toes it doesn't escalate into something that would be catastrophic."
A meeting between Mattis and Wei was supposed to take place in Beijing last weekend, but it fell through after China declined to make Wei available.
APP
