A meeting of defense leaders in Laos took place on Thursday, and included Southeast Asian defense chiefs, China, the United States and other partner nations. Despite China and the US both being in Laos for the meeting,

Southeast Asian defense chiefs and representatives are meeting in Laos for security talks at a time of increasing maritime disputes with China in the Asia-Pacific and as the transition to a new U.S. president looms.

China rejected a meeting with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin during a conference in southeast Asia this week, marking the latest turn in a tumultuous relationship between the two countries’ defense leaders.

A senior American defense official, speaking with reporters before a summit of Asian defense officials in Laos, said that the Pentagon had offered to meet and that China declined, citing objections over U.S. arms sales to Taiwan.

The Chinese defense ministry holds the U.S. accountable for the Chinese defense minister's decision to not meet with his U.S. counterpart in Laos, citing tensions over Taiwan. The ministry calls for the U.

China said it rejected a bilateral defense ministers' meeting with the United States because Washington disrespected its "core interests" by continuing weapon sales to Taiwan. The Pentagon said on Wednesday that China had rejected U.