According to the White House, Biden “described the consequences and consequences if China provides material support to Russia” in his telephone conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
“The President stressed that he supports a diplomatic solution to the crisis,” the White House said in a statement.
Biden was “direct,” “meaningful,” and “detailed,” a senior administration official told reporters Friday afternoon.
The bulk of their discussion focused on the war in Ukraine and the implications of the crisis for both US-China relations and the “international order,” the official said. Biden assessed Putin’s actions in his conflict with Ukraine and “clarified” the meaning and consequences of potential Chinese assistance to Russia in its war.
What these consequences will be, the administration did not immediately publicly announce either in a written announcement from the meeting or in an interview with journalists.
Part of Biden’s goal in talking directly to Xi was to find out exactly where he stands. China’s statements about the war in Ukraine did not condemn the invasion, but did not offer overt support either. Xi has offered nominal support for mediation efforts between Russia and Ukraine, but China has also fanned Russian disinformation about the conflict.
All of this left Xi in an unclear position, which the United States hoped to clarify through the Biden call.
The US has already warned its European and Asian allies that China has expressed its willingness to provide Russia with the military and financial assistance that Moscow has requested as its invasion has dragged into its third week. But officials said Beijing is still formulating how to respond by raising the stakes for Friday’s Biden intervention.
China began offering its own version of the video call as soon as it began, describing a message to Xi Biden on state television.
“We must not only lead the development of Sino-US relations on the right track, but also fulfill our international obligations and make efforts for world peace and tranquility,” Xi said during a video call, CCTV reported.
“There is neither peace nor tranquility in the world,” Xi admitted. “The Ukrainian crisis is what we don’t want.”
At the same time, Chinese reports do not directly blame Russia for the conflict or condemn Russian President Vladimir Putin’s actions on the ground.
The United States is watching with apprehension as Xi develops a close partnership with Putin, believing that an alliance of authoritarian leaders is positioning itself to oppose the United States militarily and economically. During high-profile talks in Beijing last month, Xi and Putin reaffirmed their affiliation, saying in a lengthy statement that the relationship is limitless.
Nevertheless, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has alarmed the Chinese leadership, in part because the Russian military has taken unexpected casualties and moved more slowly than many expected. US officials also said that Xi was surprised by the unity of Western and Asian countries in imposing punitive sanctions on Russia.
This combination of factors could cause China to overestimate its potential involvement in the war in Ukraine, US officials said. This made the timing of Biden’s call with Xi critical as the US works to contain the bloodshed in Ukraine.
U.S. officials declined in advance to say what specific threats Biden might make to persuade Xi to withdraw his support for Russia. Discussions continue within the administration about possible steps, including sanctions.
It is widely believed that Xi will receive a historic third term in office during the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party in Beijing this fall. Western experts believe that in such an important year, Xi will be especially attentive to the economic risks associated with secondary sanctions.
According to China’s official figures, trade between the European Union and China has topped $800 billion, while US-China trade has totaled over $750 billion, while its trade with Russia has totaled just under $150 billion. At the same time, China’s economy is growing at a slower pace than in recent decades.
Ahead of the conversation, American officials clarified the substance of the conversation.
“The demand is that China needs to stand on the right side of history,” Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said on CNN.