US President Joe Biden on Friday warned his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping that if China decides to provide aid to Russia, which is carrying out horrific attacks on Ukrainian cities, it will have some implications and consequences for Beijing. Senior officials of the White House gave this information.
At the same time, the Chinese Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying that in the conversation, Jinping made it clear that there have been differences between the US and China and always will be, but keeping these differences under control is very important. Officials said President Biden outlined measures aimed at preventing and responding to attacks, including sanctions on Russia. He also explained what the implications and consequences could be if China helped Russia attacking Ukraine.
However, a senior Biden administration official later declined to publicly explain the consequences for Beijing, a close ally of Moscow. He said that I am not going to share our options publicly here. During this, Biden told Jinping that ‘how did we get here, what steps did we take, why did we go to this extent’. A senior Biden administration official told reporters that the talks were very clear and during which Biden briefed Jinping about the US assessment of Putin’s actions.
The official said that while Jinping raised the issue of Taiwan during the talks, Biden made it clear that the US stood by its one-China policy and was adhering to the Taiwan Relations Act, three joint official notices and six assurances. According to the official, Biden also stressed the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the Gulf of Taiwan.
At the same time, the Chinese Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying that in the conversation, Jinping made it clear that there have been differences between the US and China and always will be, but keeping these differences under control is very important. The statement quoted Jinping as saying that China does not want to see the situation in Ukraine coming to this verge. China is a supporter of peace and opposes war. This sentiment is embedded in the history and culture of China.
Jinping said that all sides should jointly support Russia and Ukraine in reaching dialogue and reconciliation, which will ensure peace in the region. The US and NATO should also discuss the Ukraine crisis with Russia, so that the security concerns of Russia and Ukraine can be addressed.