US President Biden and Chinese President Xi have met for the first time since the war broke out in Ukraine. In that video call, which lasted about two hours, Xi said that conflicts such as the war in Ukraine are in no one’s interest.
“The Ukraine crisis is something we don’t want,” he said, according to Chinese state media. Biden, in turn, would have warned Xi of the “implications and consequences” if China decides to support Russia militarily, the White House reported.
According to Xi, China and the United States must take responsibility and work for world peace. In addition, NATO should also enter into talks with Russia so that international relations return to normal, Xi said. Biden also stressed the importance of a diplomatic solution.
Xi and Biden also agreed to keep telephone lines open between each other’s countries, “to limit competition between the US and China,” the White House said in a statement. The US further emphasized its stance on Taiwan. A senior source within the US government told Reuters news agency that the conversation between Xi and Biden was “direct, substantive and detailed”.
Last Sunday, Nieuwsuur zoomed in on China’s position in the Ukraine war:
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