Opinion

China’s policy on Russia: the West must engage Beijing

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Published: May 12th, 2022,
Last updated: May 28th, 2025

William Klein
William Klein is a consulting partner at Finsbury Glover Hering in Berlin. Previously, he was a US diplomat, most recently Deputy Chief of the US Embassy in Beijing.

Europe is watching closely how China responds to the war in Ukraine. During their recent meetings with the Chinese leadership, EU leaders called on China to use its close relations with Russia to support efforts to end the bloodshed in Ukraine. On April 28, the German Bundestag was more direct, adopting a resolution that, among other provisions, accused China of endorsing the war and warned that efforts to undermine sanctions or supply Russia with weapons would be met with more economic and personal sanctions. As these concerns demonstrate, the choices that China makes with respect to Ukraine could further damage its already fraught relations with Europe for years to come.

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