US President Joe Biden will hold a call on Friday with China's leader, Xi Jinping, and intends to warn him that military support by China for Russia's invasion of Ukraine will be a step that would dramatically widen the gulf between Beijing and West.
Reuters reported this.
"President Biden will be speaking to President Xi tomorrow and will make clear that China will bear responsibility for any actions it takes to support Russia’s aggression, and we will not hesitate to impose costs," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on the briefing.
He also said that China had a responsibility to use its influence with Putin and defend international rules, but it appeared Beijing was "moving in the opposite direction."
"We are concerned that they are considering directly assisting Russia with military equipment in Ukraine," US Secretary said, officially confirming US media reports that Russia had sought such support from China, and China, in turn, making it clear that the answer may be yes.
White House Press secretary Jennifer Psaki described the forthcoming conversation between the United States and China leaders as "an opportunity for President Biden to assess where President Xi stands."
"The fact that China has not denounced what Russia is doing in and of itself speaks volumes," Psaki said.
Asked which party had requested the call, a US administration official said it was mutually agreed in a Rome meeting on Monday, where National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan held seven-hour talks with Politburo's member of the Chinese Communist Party Yang Jiechi.
China has refused to condemn Russia's actions in Ukraine and Western sanctions against Moscow.
Earlier, Financial Times reported that Russia had asked China for military assistance to continue the invasion of Ukraine. The Financial Times also claims that the United States has informed its allies in Europe and Asia that China has "shown readiness" to provide military support to Russia in its invasion of Ukraine.
On March 14, a seven-hour meeting between Yang Jiechi and US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan took place in Rome.
"We have made it very clear to Beijing, publicly and privately, that such support [Russia's aggression - LB.ua] will have consequences," said Spokesperson for the US Department of State Ned Price.
In turn, Yang Jiechi said that the situation in Ukraine has come to that point, which the Chinese side does not want to see.