On May 31, Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun and his US counterpart Lloyd Austin agreed on the importance of military communication between the two countries.

According to a VNA reporter in Singapore, Mr. Dong Jun and Mr. Lloyd Austin reached such a consensus at a rare meeting on the sidelines of the 3-day Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.

During the talks, the two sides also discussed the conflicts in Ukraine and the Gaza Strip.

Speaking to reporters, Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Wu Qian said the talks were "positive, practical and constructive."

This is the first face-to-face meeting between Minister Dong Jun and Secretary Austin since November 2022 as the two countries seek to facilitate communication.

The meeting comes about a month after a phone call in which the two ministers discussed key flashpoints in April.

The Shangri-La Dialogue 2024, taking place over three days from May 31 to June 2, will be attended by about 600 delegates from nearly 50 countries, including many heads of state, leaders, officials and defense experts. This is considered the most important event on regional security.