US NSA Jake Sullivan Meets CCP Officials In Rome For 7 Hours Following Reports That China Might Help Russia Evade Sanctions

On Monday, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan met with his Chinese counterpart in Rome. On table were discussions on multiple issues. Although the primary issue was bilateral relation and Russo-Ukrainian war.

A senior administration official told reporters that the US does have 'deep concerns about China's alignment with Russia'. The senior official added that 'the national security advisor was direct about those concerns and the potential implications and consequences of certain actions'.

The meeting in Rome lasted for seven hours. The official said that the meeting was 'intense' and that it reflected American commitment to maintaining open lines of communication.

During the meeting, Sullivan laid out to his Chinese counterpart, Yang Jiechi, the unity of the US and its allies and partners, the unprecedented coordination with its European and NATO allies in particular.

'They had an extensive conversation on Russia-Ukraine, with the national security adviser laying out where we are, how we got here, and what the risks are that we see lying ahead,' the official said.

In the meeting they also discussed ways to manage strategic risks, following up on the discussion in November between US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the importance of doing so towards the goal of managing the competition between the two countries to ensure that it does not veer into conflict.

'The president, as you know, has been coordinating closely with our Indo-Pacific partners to support the solidarity. And of course, just less than two weeks ago, President Biden convened a secure video meeting of the Quad leaders of Australia, India, Japan, and the United States to discuss the war against Ukraine and the implications for the Indo-Pacific,' the official added.

(With inputs from PTI)