US President Joe Biden is due to speak to his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping by phone about now to discuss Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, among other subjects.

Xi is expected to reiterate Beijing’s line that all sides should be exercising restraint in Ukraine, while Biden could be looking for assurances that China will not support Russia militarily.

Beijing and Washington are fighting a proxy information war over the conflict in Ukraine.

This could prove to be the biggest point of tension between Xi and Biden.

The US has been the source of reports that Russia has asked China for military help.

Biden will likely ask for a guarantee that Beijing does not supply it.

Meanwhile, the Chinese government has been repeating conspiracy theories that the US has bioweapons facilities in Ukraine. Xi could ask for a guarantee it has no such weapons there.

China says it is neutral, but state media here has been spreading pro-Kremlin propaganda about the war.

The Biden administration would like China to put more pressure on Russia over the situation in Ukraine but there has been no indication so far that Beijing is considering such a move.

Homepage