Illinois Rep. Mike Quigley, co-chair of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus, has criticized Chinese President Xi Jinping about the potential effects of a partnership between China and Russia toward Ukraine, saying it poses a danger to U.S. security.
“If Xi Jinping wants to elevate China’s role on the international stage, he should join the already existing international coalition and call for Putin to withdraw from Ukraine immediately," Quigley said March 22 in a statement he also posted on Twitter. "China and Xi are not neutral parties in the Ukraine-Russia conflict. Like Russia, China is an authoritarian nation with an autocratic leader who is intent on expanding his power through influence or military campaigns.”
In February 2022, before Russia's invasion of Ukraine, China and Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a strategic partnership aimed at countering the influence of the U.S., Reuters reported. The two countries voiced support for each other on issues such as Taiwan, and opposed the AUKUS alliance between Australia, Britain and the U.S., also expressing concern about U.S. missile defense plans and criticizing attempts by "certain states" to establish global authority. China and Russia plan to strengthen cooperation on artificial intelligence and information security, and Russia supported China's stance that Taiwan should not gain independence. In turn, China joined Russia in calling for an end to NATO enlargement and supported Russia's demand for security guarantees from the West regarding Ukraine.
“A closer relationship between China and Russia would be dangerous, not only for Ukraine’s future if Xi begins providing Putin with more advanced weapons, but for our own national security as well," Quigley said in his statement. "These talks should motivate the U.S., EU, NATO and our other allies to remain steadfast in our support for Ukraine.”
According to Chinese government spokesperson Hua Chunying, Jinping met with Putin on March 20.
"President Putin said Russia has carefully studied China’s position paper on the political settlement of the Ukraine issue and is open to talks for peace," Hua said on Twitter. "Russia welcomes China to play a constructive role in this regard."
Jinping visited Putin at the Kremlin for informal talks lasting almost 4 1/2 hours, Reuters reported, days after an international court issued an arrest warrant for Putin for war crimes in Ukraine. The timing of the visit led the U.S. to accuse China of providing diplomatic cover for Putin's actions. Putin and Xi have been building a strong relationship, with Putin calling Xi a "dear friend." China's proposal for Ukraine has been largely dismissed in the West as a maneuver to help Putin, Reuters reported.
"That President Xi is traveling to Russia days after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for President Putin suggests that China feels no responsibility to hold the Kremlin accountable for the atrocities committed in Ukraine," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.
According to China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, China's position on Ukraine included upholding international law, abandoning the "Cold War mentality," ceasing hostilities, resuming peace talks, resolving the humanitarian crisis, protecting civilians and prisoners of war, keeping nuclear power plants safe, reducing strategic risks, facilitating grain exports, stopping unilateral sanctions, keeping industrial and supply chains stable and promoting post-conflict reconstruction, according to a post by the FMPRC website. China emphasized the importance of "respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, and encourages all parties to work together for peace," the site stated.
