China's Refusal to Engage During Crises Raises Concerns for US Relations, Blinken Urges Action

Chinese military officials are refusing to engage in crisis communications with the US during moments of high tension in the Indo-Pacific region, according to a senior Pentagon official. The silence is seen as a calculated effort to raise the perceived risks of continued US military presence in the region and prompt the US to leave. China's ambition to oust the US from the region has prompted US allies to seek closer defense ties with Washington. The AUKUS partnership and US ties to other countries in the region are seen as key to deterring conflict with China.