Beijing In the run-up to the planned phone call between US President Joe Biden and China’s head of state Xi Jinping, the tone between the two great powers has intensified. The two heads of state want to speak directly to each other on Friday at 2 p.m. German time for the first time since the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The US government has again threatened China with consequences if it provides military support to Russia in the war in Ukraine. In China’s state-run Global Times newspaper, an unnamed Chinese government official dismissed the allegations as “irresponsible.” They have become a “standard practice” by the US side before high-level China-US contacts, which is “very immoral and irresponsible,” said the official, whose name was not released.
He described the United States as “the cause of this crisis”. China will “never accept threats and coercion from the United States.” Should the US take action that harms China’s legitimate interests and the interests of Chinese companies or individuals, China “will not sit idly by and provide a clear response.” Shortly after the publication of the Global Times article, a State Department spokesman struck a similar note at the daily news briefing.
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It is unusual for Chinese officials to make such aggressive statements ahead of high-level talks. As a rule, official bodies try to spread a friendlier atmosphere before such appointments.
Earlier, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that the US wanted to make it clear in the call that China bears responsibility for any measures it takes in support of Russian aggression. “We are concerned that China is considering directly supporting Russia with military equipment for use in Ukraine,” Blinken said. China has so far denied such plans. Washington is also concerned that China could help Russia circumvent economic sanctions imposed by Western states.
First talks between the heads of state since autumn
The call between Biden and Xi would be the first talks between leaders since November. According to information from the Chinese side, it should have come about on the initiative of the USA and follows a meeting between national security adviser Jake O’Sullivan and China’s top diplomat Yang Jiechi on Monday in Rome.
Monday’s meeting was the first direct exchange between the two superpowers since war broke out in Ukraine. Meanwhile, observers are divided as to whether the phone call that was scheduled so soon after the talks in Rome is a good or a bad sign.
The call between Biden and Xi on Friday is said to be about “managing the competition between our two countries, as well as Russia’s war on Ukraine and other issues of mutual interest,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in a Thursday statement Explanation. From the Chinese side, there was only talk of an exchange of views between Xi and Biden “on China-US relations and issues of common interest.”
According to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the US wants to make it clear in the call that China bears responsibility for any measures it takes in support of Russian aggression. “We are concerned that China is considering directly supporting Russia with military equipment for use in Ukraine,” Blinken said.
China has so far denied such plans. Washington also fears that China could help Russia circumvent economic sanctions imposed by Western states. The US would not hesitate to impose costs on China if necessary, Blinken stressed.
Biden calls Putin a ‘war criminal’
China has a responsibility to exert its influence on Putin and to demand compliance with international rules. However, it seems that China is doing the opposite. So far, the US government has provided no evidence that China supports or plans to support Russia. China’s foreign ministry has described the allegations from the US as disinformation.
China refuses to speak of a Russian invasion of Ukraine
The Chinese leadership continues to avoid speaking of a Russian invasion of Ukraine. She describes her stance as neutral. De facto, however, China supports the Russian position, and official statements always refer to Russian security interests. In the UN General Assembly, a large majority of states had condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine, while China had abstained. China also condemns Western sanctions against Russia.
However, Chinese leaders and companies have so far been wary of supporting Russia. China’s financial institutions have strictly complied with sanctions imposed by the West, according to an analysis by Alicia García Herrero, chief economist for Asia Pacific at investment bank Natixis.
In addition, China has apparently refused to supply Russian airlines with aircraft parts, Russian news agencies reported last week, citing an official at the Russian aviation authority. Western manufacturers Boeing and Airbus had previously stopped supplying components.
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