US Defense Secretary Austin warns of potential conflict with China due to lack of communication.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin expressed concern over China's increasingly assertive military actions in the region and called for open channels of communication between the two countries. China has refused to meet with Austin at the upcoming Shangri-La Dialogue security conference in Singapore. Austin met with Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada to discuss strengthening cooperation between Japan, the US, and South Korea in the face of regional threats from China, North Korea, and Russia. The two also agreed to expand their defense industries and strengthen multinational formats to reinforce their Indo-Pacific security cooperation.