U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi discussed Russia’s aggression in Ukraine during a telephone conversation on Saturday, the U.S. State Department reports.
“The Secretary [speaking about the situation in Ukraine] noted the world is watching to see which nations stand up for the basic principles of freedom, self-determination and sovereignty,” the State Department’s press release reads.
As noted in the department, Blinken told his Chinese counterpart that the countries of the world act in concert in relation to Russia “ensuring that Moscow will pay a high price.”
Earlier this week, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said that China intends to continue cooperation with Russia in the field of trade and does not support any illegal unilateral sanctions.
Beijing, for its part, welcomed the start of negotiations between representatives of Russia and Ukraine and expressed hope that the parties will continue diplomatic efforts to resolve the situation around Ukraine.