Singapore - US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Chinese Minister for National Defense Dong Jun met in Singapore Thursday, in an attempt to defuse growing tensions between the two superpowers.

In a statement issued by the Defense Department, Austin emphasized the Biden administration's desire to maintain communications between the US Government and the People's Republic of China.

He "welcomed plans to convene a crisis-communications working group by the end of the year," despite expressing "concern" over the actions of Chinese military personnel in the Taiwan Strait over recent weeks.

After Taiwan inaugurated new president Lai Ching-Te earlier in May, China warned of an impending war with the island nation and proceeded to encircle it with military drills that it described as a "strong punishment" for Taiwanese "separatist acts."

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"The Secretary expressed concern about recent provocative PLA activity around the Taiwan Strait, and he reiterated that the PRC should not use Taiwan's political transition... as a pretext for coercive measures," the defense department said in a statement.

"The United States will continue to fly, sail, and operate – safely and responsibly – wherever international law allows."

Lloyd Austin's call for "the importance of open lines of military-to-military communication" come weeks after similar statements were made by Xi Jinping following meetings with Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

In a statement issued on Thursday by the Chinese defense ministry, China said that it adopts a "prudent and responsible attitude" towards the export of military products, and criticized the US for being "hypocritical" over accusations around Russian arms sales.

Despite that, AFP quoted a Chinese defense spokesperson saying that the direct talks between Austin and Dong were successful and "good."