Ukraine war: Joe Biden ‘hopeful’ China’s economic ties to West will keep it from arming Russia, after Nato warns Beijing
- Biden, in Europe for talks with allies, said he had reminded Xi Jinping of the economic dynamic, including how many Western companies have pulled out of Russia
- Nato statement calls for China to ‘cease amplifying the Kremlin’s false narratives’ and use ‘significant influence’ to promote peace in Ukraine
US President Joe Biden said he was “hopeful” China will not provide support for Russia’s war on Ukraine because of the depth of its economic ties with the West.
Speaking at Nato headquarters in Brussels on Thursday evening, Biden said: “China understands its economic future is more closely tied to the West than it is to Russia.”
He said he had reminded Chinese President Xi Jinping of the economic dynamic during a “very straightforward conversation” the two had last week.
“I made it clear to him, I made no threats, but I made it clear to him … made sure he understood the consequences of him helping Russia, as had been reported, and as was expected,” Biden said.
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Biden says China’s economic future is ‘more closely tied to the West’ than to Russia
While China is a major importer of Russian energy and minerals, the US and EU are its top two trading partners. It is also heavily invested by Western companies, hundreds of which have streamed out of Russia since its invasion a month ago.
Biden said that he had “pointed out the number of American and foreign corporations” that had left Russia because of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “barbaric” war on Ukraine.
