The White House stated at a press conference on Thursday, May 16th that the Biden administration did not see any new content in the joint statement by China and Russia.
Russian President Putin arrived in Beijing on Thursday, beginning a two-day state visit. The two sides issued a lengthy joint statement on Thursday, pledging to deepen their already close strategic relationship and making anti-Western remarks once again.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at Thursday’s press conference that Biden administration officials “did not see any new content” in the joint China-Russia statement.
“We believe it is unacceptable for Chinese companies to assist Putin in launching a war against Ukraine,” Jean-Pierre said.
Putin’s visit to China, his first since taking office for the fifth time earlier this year, underscores the strengthening ties between the two countries.
For over two years since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Beijing has not condemned the invasion and has even abstained from voting against war and Russia’s illegal annexation of Ukrainian territory at the United Nations.
The White House press secretary added, “If Beijing claims to support European peace, it should not continue to escalate the greatest threat to European security.”
She pointed out that NATO, the EU, and the Group of Seven share the same view.
Jean-Pierre did not address whether the United States has the capability to deter Beijing from supporting Russia’s war efforts.
In the joint statement, China and Russia condemned US attempts to change the balance of power in Northeast Asia and the “military intimidation” towards North Korea.
Derek Grossman, a senior defense analyst at the RAND Corporation, sarcastically remarked, “When dictators meet, Xi Jinping says to Putin, ‘China is willing to work with Russia to uphold world fairness and justice,’ to which Putin responds to Xi, ‘China and Russia are the stabilizing factors on the international stage.'”
The joint China-Russia statement on Thursday called for strengthening bilateral relations to defend “fairness” and “justice” as well as the “democratic world order.”
The American media outlet Axios interpreted this as both leaders seeking to undermine democratic consciousness and principles to support their authoritarian models.
US officials had traveled to China in April to oppose Beijing’s material and financial support to Russia during the invasion of Ukraine.
It is reported that Putin will attend a dinner with his new Defense Minister and Security Council Chief and hold a closed-door meeting with the Chinese Communist Party leader on Thursday night.
The Russian delegation visiting China includes senior officials responsible for increasing defense production, including Denis Manturov, recently appointed as Deputy Prime Minister in charge of the defense sector. The Director-General of Russian Space Cooperation and Military Technology Cooperation will also participate in the small talks with Putin.
It is widely believed that Putin’s visit to China this time seemingly aims to gain more. Currently, it is not clear what defense and economic agreements may have been reached between the two sides during Putin’s two-day visit.
Both sides issued a lengthy joint statement, including commitments to enhance China-Russia military contacts and expand joint exercise scales.
According to the Kremlin, the two sides agreed to establish a large protected area for big cats that allows for the export of ginger, and to start infrastructure and media cooperation.
They also reached a “unified intent” on developing the Big Ussuri Island (Black Blind Island as known in China). Dispute has existed between China and Russia since the Soviet Union forcibly occupied the island in 1929.
However, for Russia, the most pressing issue is convincing the CCP to support the long-proposed Power of Siberia 2 pipeline. The project aims to transport Russian natural gas to China, with Russia hoping it will offset economic losses from natural gas exports to Europe. But negotiations for the project have been delayed.
Putin’s close ally, Alexei Miller, the head of Gazprom, the state-controlled natural gas monopoly, did not accompany the delegation, indicating little progress on the long-anticipated Power of Siberia 2 pipeline.
So far, the CCP leader has made almost no official statements on this visit, which is also related to the challenging international environment facing China domestically and internationally.
The Financial Times reported that analysts believe Beijing is currently focused on stabilizing tense relations with its major trade partners, the EU and the US, as they accuse Beijing of exacerbating overcapacity to boost weak economic growth and have initiated anti-dumping investigations.
Furthermore, Reuters listed a series of external challenges that have caused headaches for China and Russia, including the US global missile defense system, involving the deployment of missile defense systems around the world and in space; developing highly accurate non-nuclear weapons to counter potential “decapitation” strikes; engaging in “expanded nuclear deterrence” with allies, including Australia; and planning to deploy land-based intermediate-range and short-range missiles (INF) in the Asia-Pacific and Europe regions, including transferring them to allies.