Beijing and Washington Clash Over Russia Punishment

Yves here. We sent an article from the US propaganda the knowledge base RFE/RFL below as a form of critical thinking. This piece concludes by highlighting that the US view of negotiation seems to equate to coercion. The US imposed more sanctions on China, on companies the US has identified as supporting Russia’s war in Ukraine, just before Jake Sullivan went to Beijing for a summit. That visit includes a meeting with President Xi Jinping.

Readers will note that the RFE/RFL account, in line with the article we reproduced above, focuses on China not cooperating with US sanctions on Russia, which China correctly portrays as illegitimate (due to not being sanctioned by the UN). It does not mention the US economic sanctions on China, especially on chips and EV prices, which appear to be an attempt to hinder Chinese development.

In contrast, the news in China’s English-language section, the Global Times, does not honor the US drawing on Russia by mentioning it. That reflects the Chinese position that China’s dealings with other countries are not US business. See the article, The US should look at China’s devt in a rational way, Xi tells Sullivan and the editor, Hope the US will use the ‘three commitments’ to measure its actions, to ensure. There is only an indirect reference in the article, mention sanctions and criticism of the “camp conflict”

Some more takes on Sullivan’s tour:

Reported by RFE/RL. Cross posted from OilPrice

  • The US imposed sanctions on Chinese companies believed to be supporting Russia’s war effort, leading to a diplomatic row ahead of Jake Sullivan’s visit to Beijing.
  • Sullivan’s trip aims to address a number of issues including tensions in the South China Sea, China-Russia cooperation, and conflicts in the Middle East.
  • Azerbaijan is strengthening relations with China through strategic cooperation and seeking membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the BRICS group.

Beijing has called the latest US sanctions on its companies over the war in Ukraine “illegal” and “not based on facts,” as White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan arrives in China for several days of high-level talks.

Here’s what’s going on.

Getting an Idea: Washington has repeatedly warned Beijing against supporting Russia’s defense industrial base and has already issued hundreds of sanctions aimed at curbing Moscow’s ability to exploit certain technologies for military purposes.

the United States penalties imposed to more than 400 organizations and individuals for supporting Russia’s war in Ukraine on August 23, including Chinese firms that US officials believe are helping Moscow evade Western sanctions and build up its military.

One hundred and twenty-three companies were also added to the US export control list known as the Business List, which forces suppliers to obtain licenses before shipping to target companies. Among those added to this latest batch, 63 organizations were based in Russia and 42 in China.

On August 27, before Sullivan’s arrival that day, Li Hui, China’s special envoy for Eurasian affairs, who made four rounds of communications by shuttle, He criticized the sanctions at a diplomatic forum in Beijing after a recent meeting with officials from Brazil, Indonesia and South Africa.

China has been struggling to portray itself as a party actively seeking a solution to the conflict in Ukraine, despite skipping a key peace conference in Switzerland in June.

After the previous talks led by Li in the spring, Beijing put forward proposals to support the exchange of prisoners of war, opposition to the use of nuclear and biological weapons, and opposition to weapons attacks on nuclear facilities, as well as a framework of policies. ending the war by February 2023.

Sullivan in China: Sullivan’s visit comes at a time of turmoil in US-China relations, with issues such as Taiwan, the war in Ukraine, and disagreement the South China Sea is on fire.

The trip is Sullivan’s fifth meeting with Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who is also the director of the Office of the Central Committee of the Foreign Affairs Committee of China’s Foreign Affairs Committee. Like the Financial Times reported laterboth officials have been involved in secret talks since 2023 following the deterioration of relations after the incident with a Chinese spy balloon flying over the United States.

The two officials are expected to discuss a range of issues in Beijing, including tensions in the South China Sea, growing cooperation between China and Russia, and conflicts in the Middle East.

Why It Matters: Negotiations between Washington and Beijing have never been easy and both sides have a lot to talk about, but Russia and the war in Ukraine are high on the agenda.

When US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Beijing in April, he warned that Washington would take action if China did not stop supplying Russia with microchips and parts for the weapons used in Ukraine.

He also accused his Chinese counterparts of “helping fuel the biggest threat” to European security since the Cold War.

Since then, Chinese companies have been hit by a number of measures and the threat of receiving a second round of sanctions from some Chinese organizations led to Chinese banks. to strengthen their limits in payments from Russia.

Both Sullivan and Wang hope to forge a stable relationship between their two governments despite their laundry list of problems.

During remarks on US-China relations in January at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, Sullivan said he and Wang continued to have “direct” discussions on top issues, including Ukraine and Russia.

“”We both left with the feeling that we don’t agree or disagree on everything but there is a lot of work that we have to move forward,” Sullivan.




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