The US Adviser Jake Sullivan and senior Chinese foreign
policy adviser Yang Jiechi met in Rome, with the Biden administration
increasingly concerned that China is using the Ukraine war to advance
Beijing’s long-term interest in its competition with the United States.
Sullivan was seeking clarity on Beijing’s posture and was
warning the Chinese anew that assistance for Russia — including helping it
avert sanctions imposed by the US and Western allies — would be costly for
them.
“The national
security adviser and our delegation raised directly and very clearly our
concerns about the PRC’s support to Russia in the wake of the invasion, and the
implications that any such support would have for the PRC’s relationship not
only with us, but for its relationships around the world,” said State
Department spokesman Ned Price, using the initials for the People’s Republic of
China.
Meanwhile, two administration officials said the US had
determined that China had signaled to Russia that it would be willing to
provide both military support for the campaign in Ukraine and financial backing
to help stave off the impact of severe sanctions imposed by the West. The
officials said that assessment had been relayed to Western and Asian allies and
partners earlier Monday.
“Moscow has received a positive response from Beijing,” said
one official, describing a diplomatic cable sent to US embassies asking for
them to inform their host governments of the information. The officials spoke
on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive information.
Sullivan made clear during an intense seven-hour meeting
that the Biden administration has deep concerns about China’s alignment with
Russia at this time, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said.
Psaki declined to comment on whether the US believes China
has already provided the Russians with military, economic or other assistance.
In advance of the talks, Sullivan bluntly warned China to
avoid helping Russia evade punishment from global sanctions that have hammered
the Russian economy. “We will not allow that to go forward,” he said. Russia,
however, on Monday denied it needed China’s help.
“No, Russia has its own potential to continue the operation,
which, as we have said, is unfolding in accordance with the plan and will be
completed on time and in full,” said Dmitry Peskov, President Vladimir Putin’s
spokesman. Meanwhile, White House officials are discussing the possibility
of Biden traveling to Europe to meet with allies for in-person talks about
the crisis in Ukraine, according to three US officials. The officials, who were
not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity,
said the trip hasn’t been finalized. One possibility is a visit to NATO
headquarters in Brussels on March 24 with other potential stops in Europe,
according to one of the officials.
The prospect of China offering Russia financial help is one
of several concerns for Biden. A US official said that in recent days, Russia
has requested support from China, including military equipment, to press
forward in its ongoing war with Ukraine. The official, who spoke on condition of
anonymity to discuss sensitive matters, did not provide details on the scope of
the request.
The Russians have seen significant losses of tanks,
helicopters and other materiel since the start of the war more than two weeks
ago. Ukraine, while overmatched by Russian forces, is well-equipped with
anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles. Russia’s and China’s weapons systems have
limited interoperability, and it’s not clear what weapons China has that Russia
would be in short supply of.
The Biden administration is also accusing China of spreading
Russian disinformation that could be a pretext for Putin’s forces to attack
Ukraine with chemical or biological weapons.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has put China in a delicate
spot with two of its biggest trading partners, the US and European Union. China
needs access to those markets, yet it also has shown support for Moscow,
joining with Russia in declaring a friendship with no limits.
Asked at a daily briefing about the reported Russian request
for assistance, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said, “The US
has been spreading disinformation targeting China recently over the Ukraine
issue. It is malicious.”
“What is pressing now is that all parties should exercise
restraint and strive to cool down the situation, rather than fueling the
tension,” Zhao told reporters. “We should promote diplomatic settlements
instead of further escalating the situation.”
Biden administration officials say Beijing is spreading
false Russian claims that Ukraine was running chemical and biological weapons
labs with US support. They say China is effectively providing cover if
Russia moves ahead with a biological or chemical weapons attack on Ukrainians.
When Russia starts accusing other countries of preparing to
launch biological or chemical attacks, Sullivan said Sunday, “it’s a good tell
that they may be on the cusp of doing it themselves.”
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby, on ABC’s “This Week,” said
“we haven’t seen anything that indicates some sort of imminent chemical or
biological attack right now, but we’re watching this very, very closely.”
The striking US accusations about Russian disinformation and
Chinese complicity came after Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria
Zakharova alleged with no evidence that the US was financing Ukrainian chemical
and biological weapons labs.
The Russian claim was echoed by Chinese foreign ministry
spokesman Zhao, who claimed there were 26 bio-labs and related facilities in
“which the US Department of Defense has absolute control.” The United Nations
has said it has received no information backing up such accusations.
There is growing concern inside the White House that China
is aligning itself with Russia on the Ukraine war in hopes it will advance
Beijing’s “vision of the world order” in the long term, according to a person
familiar with the administration view who spoke on condition of anonymity
because the official wasn’t authorized to comment publicly.
China has been one of few countries to avoid criticizing the
Russians for its invasion of Ukraine. China’s leader Xi Jinping hosted Putin
for the opening of the Winter Olympics in Beijing, just three weeks before
Russia invaded on February 24. During Putin’s visit, the two leaders issued a
5,000-word statement declaring limitless “friendship.”
The Chinese abstained on UN votes censuring Russia and has
criticized economic sanctions against Moscow. But questions remain over how far
Beijing will go to alienate the West and put its own economy at risk.
Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares said Monday
that he had asked his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi to use Beijing’s influence
over Moscow to end the war.
“We are at a historical moment that requires responsibility
and vision of all world leaders,” Albares told Wang during a telephone
conversation on Monday, according to a statement from the Spanish ministry.
