Boris Johnson urged Xi Jinping not to support Russia in its invasion of Ukraine as he spoke to China’s President for the first time since the war broke out.
The two leaders held a 50-minute phone call described as “frank and candid” but apparently failed to reach agreement on how to respond to Vladimir Putin’s behaviour.
Mr Xi has sought to avoid either supporting or condemning the Russian invasion, abstaining in key United Nations votes while allowing state media to spread anti-Western propaganda about the war.
He is understood to be weighing up a request from Mr Putin for military aid to help Russia achieve its war aims.
A Downing Street spokesperson said on Friday: “The Prime Minister spoke to China’s President Xi Jinping earlier today.
“The Prime Minister expressed again his sympathy with the victims of the flight that crashed in China last week. President Xi asked the Prime Minister to convey his best wishes to Her Majesty the Queen on her Jubilee.
“The leaders discussed a range of issues of mutual interest – including the situation in the Ukraine. It was a frank and candid conversation lasting almost an hour. They agreed to speak again soon.”
Mr Johnson laid out the UK’s position on Ukraine and encouraged Mr Xi to accept that his ally in the Kremlin was guilty of unprovoked aggression, i understands. The fact that the leaders were unable to agree on a joint statement about the war suggests they remain divided.
The Chinese foreign ministry said that the two men acknowledged “twists and turns” in their relationship but emphasised the importance of trade and diplomatic links.
On Ukraine, it added: “President Xi expounded on China’s principled position, stressing the need for the international community to make genuine efforts to promote peace talks, create conditions for a political settlement of the Ukraine issue, and facilitate an early return of peace in Ukraine. He expressed China’s readiness to play a continued, constructive role to this end.”
Joe Biden spoke to the Chinese President last week and warned him his country’s economy could take a hit if he tried to defy Western sanctions on Russia.
“I made no threats, but I made sure he understood the consequences of him helping Russia, Mr Biden said after a Nato summit on Thursday. “I think that China understands that its economic future is much more closely tied to the West than it is to Russia.”
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