With Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in Indonesia, U.S.-China military talks will be absent from the military dialog.
Mr. Austin’s office had asked to meet with his Chinese counterpart, but Beijing has said it won’t send any Chinese officials of appropriate rank to meet with Mr. Austin at the summit.
China has not yet replaced former Defense Minister Li Shangfu. He was ousted last month after disappearing from the public eye for two months.
Pentagon Spokesman Brigadier General Pat Ryder said Washington isn’t “planning for the Secretary to sit down for a meeting with any PRC officials” at this year’s gathering. PRC is short for People’s Republic of China—the country’s formal name.
Military tensions between Beijing and Washington are still strained, despite calls for a thaw. China cut off military communication with the U.S. after then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan.