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Chinese Premier Li Keqiang highlighted the “irresponsibility” of the nuclear threat at a summit in Cambodia, a senior U.S. official said on Monday, in a sign of Beijing’s unease over nuclear rhetoric from strategic partner Russia.
On Sunday, Li Keqiang attended the East Asia Summit with U.S. President Joe Biden. On Monday, ahead of Biden’s summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, a senior U.S. administration official briefed reporters on what the Chinese premier “spoke quite broadly about China’s policy toward Ukraine.”
The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Lee “clearly underscored sovereignty, the irresponsibility of the nuclear threat and the need to ensure that nuclear weapons are not used in the way some have suggested.”
Since the February invasion of Ukraine, the West has accused Russia of making irresponsible remarks about the possible use of nuclear weapons. Moscow, in turn, accused the West of “provocative” nuclear rhetoric.
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The U.S. official said that despite a formal partnership with Moscow, “there is no denying that Beijing is somewhat disturbed by what we have seen of Russia’s reckless rhetoric and activities.”
“I think it’s also undeniable that China may be both surprised and even a little embarrassed by Russia’s military actions,” the official said.
At the summit in Cambodia on Sunday, Biden said the United States would be in “intense competition” with China while keeping lines of communication open to prevent conflict.
Biden and Xi will meet in person on Monday for the first time since Biden took office early last year.
With Premier Li Keqiang expected to be replaced next year, U.S. officials said Washington believed Xi would bring “some new faces” to Monday’s meeting with Biden.
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