CIA Director: Traffic in Ukraine affects Chinese goals over Taiwan

Burns, speaking of the Financial Times in Washington, said the Chinese government was hit by Ukraine's fierce resistance to Russia's invasion and the economic costs Russia is experiencing.

I think the Chinese leadership is looking very carefully at all this in the cost and consequences of any effort to use force to gain control over Taiwan,” said Burns.

He warned, however, that this would not shift Chinese leader Xi Jinping's long-term goals over Taiwan.

I don't think for a minute that this has eroded Xi's determination over time to gain control over Taiwan,” said Burns.

But I think it's something that's affecting their estimate of how and when they will do it. ”

China has refused to condemn Russia's war in Ukraine and has criticised Western sanctions against Moscow.

Beijing and Moscow declared a strategic partnership “without borders” weeks before the 24 February invasion and have established closer energy and security ties in recent years to push back the United States and the West.

But Burns said the United States believed that China was concerned by damage to Russian President Vladimir Putin's reputation of connection with “brutality” of military action.

I think what the bitter experience has learned, in many ways, of Putin's Russia in Ukraine over the past 10 or 11 weeks is to show that friendship actually has certain boundaries,” said Burns. /abcnews.al/