US says China must choose between Putin and West

Original source (on modern site) | Article images: [1] [2]

The U.S. has reprimanded China over its continued support for Russian President Vladimir Putin, who received a warm welcome in China on Thursday.

"If China purports to want good relations with Europe and other countries, it cannot continue to fuel the biggest threat to European security," a U.S. State Department spokesperson told Newsweek, stressing this was the position not only of Washington but of the European Union, NATO and the G7.

Putin's visit, his first official international trip since being elected for a fifth term, comes as his invasion of Ukraine enters its third year, with the U.S. and other Western powers seeking to further isolate Moscow amid Russian advances.

The State Department spokesperson said Russia would be at pains to continue its war against Ukraine without Chinese backing.

Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping in Tiananmen Square in Beijing on May 16. The trip comes as Washington ramps up pressure on China. Sergei Bobylyov/AFP via Getty Images

"No country should give Putin a platform to promote his war of aggression against Ukraine," they went on. "We cannot return to business as usual or turn a blind eye to the clear violations of international law Russia has committed in Ukraine. There needs to be accountability for those responsible for war crimes."

Jonathan Ward, senior fellow at the Washington, D.C.-based Hudson Institute think tank, told Newsweek that Putin's visit reflects the deepening ties between the two neighbors.

"At this point, a Russia-China axis has formed, and the United States and Europe have fully caught on to China's support for Russia's war efforts in Europe," he said. "So for the two authoritarian states to continue their engagement and 'strategic coordination' full steam ahead, even as U.S. and allies wake up to this, shows that this is a deep partnership and that there is more nefarious activity to come."

Newsweek reached out to the Chinese and Russian foreign ministries with written requests for comment.

During his discussions with Putin on Thursday, Chinese President Xi Jinping touted the 75 years of diplomatic relations between the People's Republic of China and Moscow and called for "close strategic coordination," a Chinese foreign ministry statement said.

Putin was quoted as saying Russia stood ready to build on this cooperation "to promote the establishment of a more just and equitable international order." The two leaders signed a series of documents on a range of issues, from the economy to conservation.

Amid international sanctions over Ukraine, Russia has become increasingly reliant on Chinese trade to sustain its economy. These economic ties have been strained of late amid new Biden administration secondary sanctions to curb imports and financial transactions that could support the Kremlin's military industrial base.

Major Chinese banks have stopped accepting payments from Russian traders to avoid the new sanctions, according to Russian media. And while trade between China and Russia has surged over the past two years, Chinese customs data showed exports to Russia dipped last month for the first time since the Ukraine war began.

Last month, the U.S. Congress approved nearly $100 billion in additional aid for Ukraine, Israel, and Indo-Pacific partners including China-claimed Taiwan.

Uncommon Knowledge

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

");jQuery(this).remove()}) jQuery('.start-slider').owlCarousel({loop:!1,margin:10,nav:!0,items:1}).on('changed.owl.carousel',function(event){var currentItem=event.item.index;var totalItems=event.item.count;if(currentItem===0){jQuery('.owl-prev').addClass('disabled')}else{jQuery('.owl-prev').removeClass('disabled')} if(currentItem===totalItems-1){jQuery('.owl-next').addClass('disabled')}else{jQuery('.owl-next').removeClass('disabled')}})}})})

< Back to 68k.news VN front page