U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun met in Singapore on May 31 for the first substantive talks between the two countries’ defense chiefs in 18 months. The discussions, held during the Shangri-La Dialogue, aim to resume military communications between the nations in the coming months. This effort seeks to prevent disputes over Taiwan and other issues from escalating. The meeting follows China’s 2022 halt of military dialogue after a visit to Taiwan by then-U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Rising tensions include China’s military drills around Taiwan and the U.S.’s bolstering of defense ties in the Asia-Pacific region.