Biden to speak to China's Xi Jinping tomorrow, Russia-Ukraine crisis on agenda

Washington [US], March 17 (ANI): United States President Joe Biden will speak with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Friday, as part of the ongoing efforts to maintain open lines of communication between Washington and Beijing, the White House said.
According to a White House statement on Thursday, the two leaders will discuss mutual between the two countries and, managing the competition between US and China as well as Russia's military operations in Ukraine.
"President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. will speak with President Xi Jinping of the People's Republic of China (PRC) this Friday. This is part of our ongoing efforts to maintain open lines of communication between the United States and the PRC. The two Leaders will discuss managing the competition between our two countries as well as Russia's war against Ukraine and other issues of mutual concern," a White House readout said.
On March 15, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met Chinese Communist Party Political Bureau Member and Director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission Yang Jiechi in Rome.
Sullivan raised a range of issues in US-China ties, with "substantial discussion" of Russia's war against Ukraine.
"Sullivan raised a range of issues in US-China relations, with substantial discussion of Russia's war against Ukraine. They also underscored the importance of maintaining open lines of communication between the United States and China," the White House said.
Prior to that, US had warned China of the consequences of helping Russia bypass sanctions.
On February 24, Russia began a special military operation in Ukraine after the Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics requested help in defending themselves. Western nations have imposed comprehensive sanctions on Moscow. In addition, they introduced sanctions on Belarus for supporting Russia's operation in Ukraine. (ANI)