Xi had opportunity to urge Putin to pursue Ukraine diplomacy in meeting -U.S. official

A meeting https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-china-tell-nato-stop-expansion-moscow-backs-beijing-taiwan-2022-02-04 between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing should have been an opportunity for China to encourage Russia to de-escalate tensions with Ukraine, the U.S. State Department's top diplomat for East Asia Daniel Kritenbrink said on Friday.

Such an approach is what the world expects from "responsible powers," Kritenbrink told reporters of the meeting that led to China and Russia proclaiming a deep strategic partnership.

"If Russia further invades Ukraine and China looks the other way, it suggests that China is willing to tolerate or tacitly support Russia's efforts to coerce Ukraine, even when they embarrass Beijing, harm European security and risk global peace and economic stability," Kritenbrink said.