Pentagon chief drops planned China visit amid tensions

By Robert Burns, The Associated Press

Posted Oct 1, 2018 01:21:04 PM.

Last Updated Oct 1, 2018 02:01:50 PM.

This article is more than 5 years old.

WASHINGTON – U.S. defence officials say Defence Secretary Jim Mattis has dropped plans to visit China amid rising tensions between Beijing and Washington.

Although the trip was never publicly announced, Mattis had planned to visit Beijing in October for so-called 2-plus-2 security talks with his Chinese counterpart as well as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Pompeo’s counterpart.

The Pentagon has made no public statement about Mattis’ change of plans. Defence officials confirmed news reports of the cancelled meeting. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal planning.

Recent tensions between the U.S. and China are rooted in trade and tariff disputes, but the conflict has begun spilling over into the military arena.

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