Washington/Rome, Mar. 15, (dpa/GNA) – Against the backdrop of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, top US and Chinese officials held “intense” seven-hour consultations, according to US sources.
A high-ranking representative of the US government said as much in a telephone briefing with journalists on Monday.
US President Joe Biden’s National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan had expressed Washington’s grave concern about China’s rapprochement with Moscow at the meeting in Rome with China’s top foreign policy official Yang Jiechi, she said.
The US government representative did not want to comment on US media reports that Russia had asked China for military and economic assistance. China had denied such reports on Monday.
White House spokesperson Jen Psaki said Sullivan “was direct” about Washington’s “deep concerns about China’s alignment with Russia” and “the potential implications and consequences of certain actions.”
The spokesperson did not go into details but mentioned “significant consequences should [Beijing] provide military or other assistance, which of course violates sanctions or aids the war effort.”
China is Russia’s most important ally, but is trying to maintain a neutral stance in the Ukraine conflict.
The US administration official said planning for the Rome meeting had already begun after Biden had a video call with Chinese President Xi Jinping in mid-November.
“It was an intense, seven-hour session, reflecting the gravity of the moment as well as our commitment to maintaining open lines of communication.”
The talks in Rome had also been about the escalation of tensions by North Korea.
GNA