China and US defence ministers tipped to cross paths at Asean security talks

Wei Fenghe is expected to ask for successor to be taken off American sanctions list

Wei will meet regional counterparts to discuss international events and potential cooperation as China vies with the US for influence

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Chinese Defence Minister Wei Fenghe is expected to meet his American counterpart in Cambodia next week. Photo: AP

Published: 10:00pm, 19 Nov 2022

Outgoing Chinese Defence Minister Wei Fenghe is expected to meet his American counterpart Lloyd Austin at an Asean security meeting in Cambodia next week, as Beijing resumes high-level military exchanges in its bid for regional support.

The Chinese defence ministry said on Saturday that Wei would attend the five-day Association of Southeast Asian Nations Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus, which starts on Sunday.

He will deliver a speech at the conference and meet his Asean counterparts for talks “on the international and regional situations and potential security cooperation”.

Wei would also meet Cambodian government and military leaders, the ministry said.

The Pentagon said Austin would attend the regional security after stops in Canada and Indonesia.

Beijing and Washington did not say whether the two defence ministers would meet, but the United States said Austin would have informal multilateral engagement with his Asean counterparts and a range of partner nations on the sidelines of the conference.

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