US-China tensions escalate over military deployments and lack of dialogue.

Former Chinese ambassador to the US, Cui Tiankai, has called on the US to halt military deployments near China as a gesture of "good faith" if high-level defence talks between the two countries are to resume. Cui questioned whether there was enough political will to prevent conflicts, and said that US deployments near China were "certainly disrespect of other countries' sovereignty and territorial integrity". Despite this, he remained optimistic about relations between the two countries and said that China was always ready for more dialogue with the US.