US President Joe Biden yesterday urged Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) to use his influence with Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine.
Biden and Xi spoke by telephone after warnings from Washington that Beijing risks isolation if it offers Russia greater support.
The talks were the first between Biden and Xi since November last year, and their fourth interaction since Biden took office in January last year.
Photo: Bloomberg
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday said Biden would make clear to Xi that China would bear responsibility if it supported Russia’s “aggression” and Washington “will not hesitate to impose costs.”
Blinken said Washington was concerned that China was considering directly assisting Russia with military equipment for use in Ukraine, something Beijing has denied.
Washington is also concerned that China could help Russia circumvent economic sanctions imposed by Western nations.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, now in its fourth week, has killed hundreds of civilians, reduced urban areas to rubble and sparked a humanitarian crisis as millions flee the country.
Ukraine has added a new front in a US-Chinese relationship already at its worst level in decades, further deflating Biden’s initial hopes of easing a wide range of disputes by using a personal connection with Xi that predates his term in office.
The US and China are the world’s two largest economies, and Washington has been anxious to avoid a new “cold war” between them, seeking instead to define the relationship as one of competitive coexistence.
However, China’s “no-limits” strategic partnership with Russia announced last month and its stance on Ukraine has called that into question.
China has refused to condemn Russia’s action in Ukraine or call it an invasion, and it has censored online content in China that it deems pro-Western or unfavorable to Russia.
Beijing, while saying it recognizes Ukraine’s sovereignty, has also said Russia has legitimate security concerns that should be addressed, and has urged a diplomatic solution to the conflict.
The Biden administration has threatened countermeasures if China helps Russia’s effort in Ukraine, but Washington and its allies have not yet decided precisely what steps they might take, a person involved in the conversations said.
Targeting Beijing with the sort of extensive economic sanctions imposed on Russia would have potentially dire consequences for the US and the world, given that China is the second-largest economy and largest exporter.
Analysts say China is unlikely to turn its back on Russia over the conflict in Ukraine, but its diplomatic efforts to appear evenhanded are becoming harder to maintain and closeness with Moscow could cost Beijing goodwill in many world capitals.
However, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Zhao Lijian (趙立堅) scorned the idea of Beijing being discomfited and instead lashed out against Western counties, accusing them of stoking fears in countries like Russia.
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