China asks United States to give up Cold War Mentality

China’s Defense Minister, Li Shangfu, has said a Cold War mentality is resurgent in the Asia-Pacific region, but Beijing seeks dialogue over confrontation.  The remarks came after Li refused to formally meet the US defense secretary, Lloyd Austin, at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.
Attempts to push for Nato-like [alliances] in the Asia-Pacific is a way of kidnapping regional countries and exaggerating conflicts and confrontations, which will only plunge the Asia-Pacific into a whirlpool of disputes and conflicts. “Today’s Asia-Pacific needs open and inclusive cooperation, not buddying up into small cliques. We must not forget the severe disasters brought by the two world wars to peoples of all countries, and we must not allow such tragic history to repeat itself.” Li said
Speaking at the dialogue, Asia’s top security summit, on June 4th, Li took thinly veiled digs at the US, repeating familiar grievances and accusing “some countries” of intensifying an arms race and interfering in the internal affairs of others. “A cold war mentality is now resurgent, greatly increasing security risks,” he said. “Mutual respect should prevail over bullying and hegemony.”
Li, a general of the People’s Liberation Army, has been under US sanctions since 2018 over the purchase of combat aircraft and equipment from Russia’s main arms exporter, Rosoboronexport. The Singapore speech marked his first significant international address since he was made defence minister in March.
Li  questioned why vessels of the US and allies were there in the first place. China did not have any problems with “innocent passage” but “we must prevent attempts that try to use those freedom of navigation [patrols], that innocent passage, to exercise hegemony of navigation”.
Li suggested the US and its allies had created the danger, and should instead focus on taking “good care of your own territorial airspace and waters”. “The best way is for the countries, especially the naval vessels and fighter jets of countries, not to do closing actions around other countries’ territories,” he said.
Li did not explicitly name any country but appeared to be referring to the US, which has been shoring up alliances and partnerships in the region. The US is a member of the Aukus alliance, which groups it with Australia and Britain. Washington is also a member of the Quad with Australia, India and Japan.
Li shook hands with Austin at a dinner on Friday 2 June but the two have not had a deeper discussion, despite repeated US demands for more military exchanges.