U.S. Laid Out Red Lines To Beijing Over ‘Russia-Ukraine war’ Ahead Of Blinken’s Visit

The U.S. laid out Washington’s red lines to Beijing ahead of U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken’s visit early next month, with a dire warning not to provide substantive and security assistance to Russia in Moscow’s war on Ukraine. Earlier on January 17, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for China Michael S. Chase talked with Song Yanchao, deputy director of the Office for International Military Cooperation of the Central Military Commission(China). Earlier this month, Beijing rejected a proposal by the U.S. Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin in a call with his Chinese counterpart Wei Fenghe , who will retire soon this March, to avoid a military conflict. Li Shangfu, a new member of the CCP’s CMC (Central Military Commission), widely seen as a candidate for China’s next defense minister, was sanctioned by the U.S. government in 2018 over China’s purchase of advanced Russian fighter jets and missile systems. But U.S. sanctions will not prevent Li from holding formal meetings with U.S. officials, according to a U.S. State Department official. During the talk on January 17th, the CCP also expressed concerns about the possible visit to Taiwan by the newly elected House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Last year, McCarthy had already said that he would visit Taiwan if he becomes the speaker of the House of Representatives, a move that would anger the CCP. The U.S. diplomats and military officials noted that the House of Representatives operates independently of the Biden administration and cautioned China against overreacting near the Taiwan Strait, which could lead to “accidental” military incidents. “We cannot subject our foreign policy to what China(CCP) may or may not do,” said a senior State Department official.