US and Chinese officials to meet as tensions mount over Russia

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan (Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP)

US president Joe Biden is sending his national security adviser for talks with a senior Chinese official in Rome as concerns grow that China is amplifying Russian disinformation in the Ukraine war and may help Russia evade punishment from economic sanctions.

The talks on Monday between national security adviser Jake Sullivan and senior Chinese foreign policy adviser Yang Jiechi will centre on “efforts to manage the competition between our two countries and discuss the impact of Russia’s war against Ukraine on regional and global security,” Emily Horne, speaking for the White House national security council, said.