U.S. President Joe Biden is expected to tell Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday that Beijing will pay a price if it supports Russia’s military operations in Ukraine, a warning that comes at a time of deepening conflict between the nations.
Biden and Xi will speak by phone, scheduled for 9 a.m. Eastern time (1300 GMT), and Washington has already threatened lower-level Chinese government officials privately and publicly that greater support for Russia risks isolation for Beijing.
The conversation between Biden and Xi, their first since November, will be loaded with tension.
Biden “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,” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Thursday.
“We’re concerned that they’re considering directly assisting Russia with military equipment to use in Ukraine,” he said.
China has denied such plans.
Washington is also concerned that China could help Russia circumvent economic sanctions imposed by Western nations.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, now in its fourth week, has killed hundreds of civilians, reduced city areas to rubble and sparked a humanitarian crisis as millions flee the country. read more
It has also added a new front in the contentious U.S.-Chinese relationship, deflating Biden’s initial hopes of easing a wide range of disputes by using a personal connection with Xi that predates his term in office.
