Biden Warns Xi of Consequences if China Provides ‘Material Support’ to Russia

China denies that it plans to give Russia support in Ukraine, and Xi told Biden that the war should end as soon as possible

President Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke on Friday in their first call since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine. According to the White House, Biden detailed to Xi the “consequences” China would face if it provides Russia with “material support” to help in the war.

China has strongly denied that it has any plans to give Russia military aid, and Xi told Biden that the war needs to end as quickly as possible. “The top priorities now are to continue dialogue and negotiations, avoid civilian casualties, prevent a humanitarian crisis, cease fighting and end the war as soon as possible,” Xi told Biden, according to Chinese state media.

Biden said that the US supports a “diplomatic resolution to the crisis,” although the US is pledging billions in new military aid to Ukraine and hasn’t shown much interest in engaging in diplomacy with Russia. Xi said all sides should support “Russia and Ukraine in having dialogue and negotiation that will produce results and lead to peace.”

“The US and NATO should also have dialogue with Russia to address the crux of the Ukraine crisis and ease the security concerns of both Russia and Ukraine,” the Chinese leader said.

Biden and Xi also discussed US-China relations, which have deteriorated in recent years. According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Xi said that he and Biden share the view that the US and China need to respect each other and peacefully coexist, while Biden said Washington doesn’t want a Cold War with Beijing.

China has been warning the US against supporting “Taiwan independence” forces as Washington has been boosting its informal relationship with Taipei. Despite increasing support for Taipei, Biden insisted that the US policy towards Taiwan hasn’t changed and reaffirmed the “one-China policy.”

Author: Dave DeCamp

Dave DeCamp is the news editor of Antiwar.com, follow him on Twitter @decampdave.