Mattis in Beijing: U.S. Defense Secretary seeks "conversation" with China's leaders
It hasn't happened since 2014, so when General James Mattis became the first U.S. Secretary of Defense to visit China in four years, it was set to be a news event in itself. President Xi Jinping said Beijing won't cede an inch of territory - a well-known 'red line', and a reference to the ongoing South China Sea dispute. But there was a nuanced response to Mattis, a military figure who on this trip demonstrated deft diplomatic skills. Further reading: link to Wu Zurong's opinion piece here. (At Large Podcast by China-US focus)
