The U.S. and Chinese defense chiefs held a significant meeting on the sidelines of a security forum in Singapore, addressing tensions surrounding Taiwan and other critical issues. The face-to-face talks between the U.S.’ Lloyd Austin and China’s Dong Jun marked the first substantial interaction between the two countries’ defense leaders in over a year and a half. Both sides emphasized the importance of military communications, with plans to restart discussions “in the coming months,” as stated by Austin.