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US officials reportedly told Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, shown in 2019 with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, in December about Moscow’s plans to invade Ukraine but shrugged them off. Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry/dpa

US sought China’s help to avoid Ukraine invasion, but Beijing passed information to Russia, insider says

  • In December, US officials shared intelligence with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Ambassador Qin Gang, who discounted the idea of an invasion, a source says
  • ‘Our information indicates that China then relayed that information to Russia, noting that the US was attempting to sow division,’ the source adds
Diplomacy

US officials alerted China late last year of Russia’s impending plan to invade Ukraine, but Beijing passed Washington’s information along to Moscow with assurances that it would not try to stop any action, a person familiar with the matter said.

“The US in December 2021 warned China in a diplomatic exchange that Russia was preparing to attack Ukraine,” said the person, a senior official in President Joe Biden’s administration, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the discussions.

“Our information indicates that China then relayed that information to Russia, noting that the US was attempting to sow division between China and Russia and that China would not try to dissuade Russia from invading.”

The warnings, first reported on Friday by The New York Times, shed new light on the extent of Beijing’s growing partnership with Moscow two days into Russia’s rapid and deadly invasion of Ukraine.

Chinese Ambassador to the United States Qin Gang was among the Chinese officials who reportedly rebuffed US attempts to head off Russia’s Ukraine invasion. Photo: Kyodo

According to The Times, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi and Chinese ambassador to the US Qin Gang were among the officials who brushed off US efforts to warn them of the coming assault on Ukraine, insisting that Russia would not invade.

China has faced criticism for refusing to condemn Russian President Vladimir Putin for ordering his to attack Ukraine, in large part because Beijing has for years insisted that it views the issues of national sovereignty and territorial integrity as sacrosanct and inviolable.

Spokespeople from the National Security Council and US State Department confirmed that the US had warned China about the attacks, but would not provide details of the conversations.

China blames US after it sanctions Russia for troop deployment in Ukraine

“Over the last several months we have briefed many nations on our strong concerns around Russia’s build-up around Ukraine, and the impact that a further invasion could have on regional and global security,” a State Department spokesperson said. “That includes the PRC.”

“Beyond that I’m not going to get into private diplomatic conversations,” the spokesperson said.

Liu Pengyu, spokesman for the Chinese embassy in Washington, declined to comment on any specific talks between the two sides.

“China and the US keep communication both in Beijing and Washington DC”, he said.

In response to questions about the accusations of hypocrisy directed toward Beijing, Liu said that China “always follows” the principle that sovereignty and territorial integrity should be upheld.

“China determines its position concerning the Ukrainian issue on its own merits,” he said.

03:41

Protests opposing Russian invasion of Ukraine held in cities around the world

Protests opposing Russian invasion of Ukraine held in cities around the world

US outrage has been directed toward Russia for invading a neighbouring country, but China’s actions and rhetoric during the crisis have not gone unnoticed in Washington.

Early this month, on the eve of the Winter Olympics opening ceremony in Beijing, Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping raised alarms in the US when they released a lengthy joint statement saying that their partnership had “no limits”. The two leaders spoke again on Friday.

In a statement on Friday, Wang reiterated Beijing’s support for all nations’ sovereignty, including Ukraine’s, but refused to condemn Moscow’s actions.

A National Security Council spokesperson said that “we have been clear with the PRC that we seek to work together around issues of mutual concern”.

“This is not a moment for equivocation or hiding, or waiting to see what happens next. It is already clear what is happening.”

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