US officials say China needs to choose between Russia and the West 0
(Dan Tri) – A US official said that China needs to make a choice between Russia and Western countries, emphasizing that Moscow is a threat to Europe.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping (Photo: Reuters).
Newsweek reported that the US has expressed dissatisfaction with relations between Russia and China in recent times.
A US State Department spokesperson told Newsweek: `If China wants to have good relations with Europe and other countries, it cannot continue to support the greatest threat to European security.`
The above official also emphasized that this is the stance not only of Washington but also of the European Union, NATO and G7.
This statement was made in the context of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s official visit to China, marking his first foreign trip after taking office for the 5th time.
A US State Department spokesman said that Russia would face challenges in continuing the more than 2-year war in Ukraine without `assistance from China`.
China currently maintains a neutral stance in the Russia-Ukraine war, calling on all parties to sit at the negotiating table to find a solution to the conflict.
Last month, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Yunbin said that NATO was the party responsible for the Russia-Ukraine conflict, after the alliance accused Beijing of supporting Moscow in the war.
According to Beijing, NATO’s expansion in Europe and its refusal to consider Russia’s national security concerns have fueled hostility.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg accused China of supporting Russia’s arms production through the export of components with both civilian and military use to Moscow.
`China says it wants a good relationship with the West. At the same time, Beijing continues to spark the largest armed conflict in Europe since World War II. They can’t do it all.`
Mr. Uong denied the accusations from NATO, emphasizing that this was just an unfounded rumor.
On April 26, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that Washington is ready to introduce more sanctions against China for accusing Beijing of supporting Russia.
China criticized the US for this statement, saying that Washington had supported Ukraine with billions of dollars but `unreasonably condemned the normal economic and trade relationship between Russia and China`.
Commenting on Mr. Putin’s visit to China, expert Jonathan Ward at the US-based Hudson Research Institute told Newsweek that the trip reflects the increasingly deepening relationship between the two neighboring countries.
In a discussion with Mr. Putin on May 16, Chinese President Xi Jinping praised 75 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries and called for bilateral `close strategic coordination.`
Mr. Putin said that Russia is ready to build on this cooperation `to promote the establishment of a more just and equitable international order.`
