2 years ago
Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said Friday that Chinese President Xi Jinping faces a historic choice amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine: Be a "true leader on the world stage" by siding with Ukraine, the U.S. and its allies or stand with the Kremlin as it wages an unprovoked war.
“We hope that he chooses the right side of history here,” Sherman told MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” on Friday. “That he ends this carnage, these attacks on civilians.”
Xi and President Joe Biden met virtually on Friday, a conversation the White House said was arranged for the two presidents to "discuss managing the competition between our two countries as well as Russia’s war against Ukraine and other issues of mutual concern." Sherman said Biden will use Friday’s discussion with Xi to gauge where the Chinese leader stands on Russia’s assault on Ukraine and that the president will urge Xi to use his influence with Putin to “end this horrible war.”
The Biden-Xi meeting comes as Russia continues to escalate its attacks on the sovereign nation, and is a potential watershed moment for the countries’ relationship. The United Nations has already confirmed nearly 2,000 civilian casualties, though the numbers are likely higher.
"We are all very candid, very direct about .. what the responsibility is of Xi Jinping if he wants to be a true leader on the world stage. If he wants to sign up to the principles of the U.N. Charter, which he says he does," Sherman said. "So we will see, whether in fact Xi Jinping makes the right choice here. His future is with the United States, with Europe, with developing countries around the world. His future is not with Russia and Vladimir Putin."
Beijing has tried to walk a delicate line as Russian troops bombard Ukrainian cities and destroy civilian infrastructure. China has thus far avoided direct condemnation of its neighbor, maintaining its trade relationship with Moscow while expressing “concern” about the civilian deaths.
Tension with Beijing built over the weekend, when Washington revealed intelligence and told reporters that Russia had requested economic and military assistance from China for its war against Ukraine. A senior U.S. official said the Chinese government had “responded to that request,” though offered no details on what the response was. Both Beijing and Moscow denied that such a request was made.
“We have made clear our deep concerns about China’s alignment with Russia and the potential implications and consequences of that,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said on Thursday. “The President always takes the opportunity when he speaks with foreign leaders to be candid and direct.”
Phelim Klein contributed to this report
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