US says China 'can't have it both ways' after Beijing hosts Putin

WASHINGTON

The US on Thursday said China cannot have better relations with the West while continuing to fuel the “biggest threat to European security.”

The comment came as Chinese President Xi Jinping is hosting his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, on a two-day state visit

“The People’s Republic of China can’t have its cake and eat it too,” State Department deputy spokesman Vedant Patel told reporters.

“It can’t have it both ways. You can’t want to have good, further, stronger, deepened relationships with Europe and other countries while simultaneously continuing to fuel the biggest threat to European security in a long time,” he said.

Patel added that the position is shared by the US’ partners in the G7, NATO and the EU.

“Fueling Russia's defense industrial base, as the People's Republic of China has, not only threatens Ukrainian security, it threatens European security,” said Patel.

“Beijing can't achieve better relations with Europe while also continuing to support something like this,” he added.