American and Chinese officials meet in Rome today, discuss war in Ukraine

The official, who was not identified, said the meeting had actually been long planned, as part of a broader effort by Washington and Beijing to keep open channels of communication and manage trade issues, but he added that fighting in Ukraine would be an important topic.

This meeting is being held in the context of an unjustified and brutal fight by Russia against Ukraine, and while China is lined up with Russia to advance its vision of world order. So I expect them to discuss the impact of Russia's war on regional and global security”, the same source said.

No specific results are expected from the meeting, the American spokesman added.

“It is important that Chinese officials hear directly from national security adviser how we view the (SHBA) situation”, the US official said.

The Russian attack, which Moscow calls a special military subx0>”, has blocked thousands of civilians in towns surrounded and forced 2.7 million Ukrainians to leave the country.

The United States and its allies have imposed widespread and unprecedented sanctions against Russia and have banned its oil imports. Washington has also offered billions of dollars in military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

Washington has called on China, Gulf countries, or even those who have not condemned the Russian attack to become part of measures to isolate Russia from the global economy.

Beijing, a leading trading partner of Russia, has refused to call Russia's actions an attack, yet Chinese President Xi Jinping last week called for maximum restraint in Ukraine, following a virtual meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron.

Mr. Xi also expressed concern about the impact of sanctions on global finances, power supply, transport and supply chains amid increasing signs that Western sanctions are limiting China's ability to buy Russian oil. / VOA/