US Defense Chief Warns of Potential Escalation in Tensions with China's Military.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has warned that incidents with China's military could "spiral out of control" and lead to a conflict. He emphasized the importance of diplomatic efforts to prevent such a scenario and called for increased communication between the two countries' militaries. Tensions between the US and China have been high in recent years, particularly in the South China Sea, where both countries have competing territorial claims.