What’s new: China’s Foreign Ministry rejected reports attributed to the U.S. that Russia asked China for military assistance for its war in Ukraine, calling it “disinformation.”
Zhao Lijian, a spokesperson of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, accused the U.S. of “maliciously spreading disinformation targeting China” when asked about the reports at a regular press briefing Monday.
Also Monday, China’s top diplomat and Communist Party Politburo member Yang Jiechi and U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan conducted a “substantial discussion” of the Russian war against Ukraine in a roughly six-hour meeting in Rome, the White House said in a statement.
The context: American media citing Washington officials reported that Russia in recent days asked China for military equipment to assist in its war in Ukraine, including drones. Russia denied the reports.
“China’s position on the Ukraine issue is consistent and clear,” Zhao said Monday. “We have been playing a constructive part in promoting peace talks.”
“The top priority at the moment is for all parties to exercise restraint, cool the situation down instead of adding fuel to the fire, and work for diplomatic settlement rather than further escalate the situation,” he said.
The U.S. assertion heightened tensions surrounding the Ukraine war as Yang and Sullivan set up the meeting in Rome for their first high-level in-person talks since the war in Ukraine broke out.
Sullivan raised a range of issues in U.S.-China relations during the meeting, the White House statement said.
The officials also underscored the importance of maintaining open lines of communication between the United States and China, according to the statement.
Contact reporter Han Wei (weihan@caixin.com) and editor Bob Simison (bob.simison@caixin.com)
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