China: News of investigation into Defense Minister Dong Jun is 'completely fabricated'

Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Wu Qian asserted that this information is "completely fabricated".

Chinese Army.

In addition, one of China's most senior military officials has been suspended and is under investigation for "serious disciplinary violations," according to a spokesman for China's Ministry of National Defense. The suspended officer is Admiral Miao Hua, who served on China's Central Military Commission, China's top military body.

The reports come a week after Dong Jun attended a meeting of Asian defense officials in Laos, where he declined to meet with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin — a move Austin described as “regrettable.” The two first met in Singapore in May at the Shangri-La Dialogue defense forum. It was the first major ministerial-level meeting between the two militaries since November 2022.

China's Defense Ministry blamed the United States for refusing to meet, saying Washington was "fully responsible" for recently approving an arms package for Taiwan that for the first time included advanced surface-to-air missiles.

Days earlier, US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping met at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Peru, reaffirming that their militaries should continue to maintain direct communication.

China closed military communication channels with the US in August 2022 after Nancy Pelosi became the first US House Speaker to visit Taiwan in 25 years. Mr Xi agreed to reopen the channels when he held a summit with Mr Biden in San Francisco in 2023, paving the way for Mr Dong and Mr Austin to meet.

Phuong Anh (Source: Financial Times)

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