China declines US request for a meeting between defence chiefs

China has declined a request by the US for a meeting between their defence chiefs at an annual security forum in Singapore this weekend, media reported on Monday, a new sign of strain between the powers. "Overnight, the PRC informed the US that they have declined our early May invitation for Secretary Austin to meet with PRC Minister of National Defense Li Shangfu in Singapore," the Pentagon said in a statement to the Wall Street Journal, referring to China by the initials of its official name, the People's Republic of China.