‘Striking’ that Putin admits Xi’s concerns about Russia’s war in Ukraine: US State Department
- ‘Not surprising’ Beijing voicing reservations after months of ‘geopolitical gymnastics’ trying to avoid criticising Moscow, says spokesman
- While questioning Sino-Russian relationship, he notes US has ‘deepened partnership’ with Taipei as Taiwan Policy Act advances
“I suppose at this early hour [since the meeting], what is striking is President Putin’s apparent admission, at least as stated in the media, that President Xi has concerns about Russia’s war against Ukraine,” Price said at a briefing on Thursday.
“It’s not surprising that the PRC apparently has such concerns. It is somewhat curious that President Putin would be the one to admit it and to admit it so openly,” Price added, referring to China’s official name, the People’s Republic of China.
It was also “not surprising”, he said, because China in recent months had been playing “geopolitical gymnastics” trying to avoid openly criticising Russia’s invasion.
The US has seen no evidence that China has supplied military help to Russia, Price said, noting it has warned Beijing of incurring “significant cost” if it found any.
In their meeting on Thursday, Putin told Xi: “We highly value the balanced position of our Chinese friends when it comes to the Ukraine crisis”. The Russian leader said he would explain Moscow’s position on this issue given China’s concerns.
Xi, meanwhile, assured Putin of China’s readiness to work with Russia “in extending strong support to each other on issues concerning … respective core interests”, according to state news agency Xinhua.
Price said Russia and China shared “a vision for the world that is starkly at odds” with the one “at the centre of the international system for the past eight decades”.
“We’ve made very clear our concern about this deepening relationship and the concern that every country around the world should have about this.”
US Taiwan Policy Act: how would it change relations with the island?
“For our part, the Biden administration, we have deepened our partnership with Taiwan,” Price said. “We’ll continue to do so with effective diplomatic, economic and military support. And we appreciate the strong bipartisan support for Taiwan that we’re seeing in Congress and that we’re seeing across the country.”
China is against all official forms of exchanges with Taiwan. It regards the self-ruled island as a renegade province to be taken by force if necessary.