Observers say Ukraine will be high on the agenda when Chinese President Xi Jinping travels to France, Serbia and Hungary next month, while the West will be watching Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s visit to China for signs Beijing is supporting Moscow’s war efforts.

Purpose is to enlist China’s help in ending the companies’ activities that allegedly violate sanctions on supplying products with military applications to Moscow.

But American treasury secretary says the policy option is something Washington ‘would be prepared to use if necessary’.

Trip would be the long-time leader’s first abroad since his re-election, amid Western claims that China is propping up Russia’s war effort in Ukraine.

Trade, Ukraine among topics on the agenda, with Blinken expected to pressure China to urge its firms to stop supplying dual-use goods to Russia or face more punitive measures.

Politburo member Chen Wenqing says Beijing supports Moscow’s national security efforts as he visits Russia a month after deadly concert hall attack.

Report on possible sanctions on Chinese banks draws sharp rebuttal from Foreign Ministry, as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken heads for talks with Chinese leaders.

Exchanges between people are ‘as important’ as political relations between countries, analyst says.

Special envoy Li Hui’s latest mission to Europe was met with scepticism, and could be seen as ‘signalling’ to the Global South that China is a responsible power.

Chen Wenqing, who oversees police and intelligence, will go to Moscow for international security meeting a month after terror attack rattles Russia and ahead of anticipated visit by Vladimir Putin.

At a G7 foreign ministers meeting in Italy, a US official said China is ‘contributing to Russia’s ability to prosecute’ the Ukraine war in ways that threaten all of Europe.

Legislation comes amid alarm in Washington over volume of material moving from Beijing to Moscow and said to be turning up on battlefields in Ukraine.

The Ukraine president says China could play a role in securing an end to the war, as he seeks Beijing’s backing for a peace summit in Switzerland.

Analysts say China has long called for a ceasefire anyway, whereas any demand that it explicitly condemn Russia is likely to fail.

Moscow is receiving drone and missile tech, satellite imagery and machine tools, aiding its biggest military build-up since the Soviet era, US officials say.

Switzerland on Wednesday announced that a high-level conference on the Ukraine conflict would be held on June 15-16, but without Russia.

Turkey could play an influential role in the International Lunar Research Station, says space analyst.

Kurt Campbell, No 2 at US State Department, echoes Beijing’s language of ‘red line’ and ‘core interest’ to mark out Washington’s strategic interest.

Xi Jinping tells Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov that Beijing is prepared to step up coordination with Moscow through Brics and the SCO.

After attacks in Russia and Pakistan, analysts expect more focus on combating terrorism when China chairs the SCO in July.

Top diplomat will meet his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi to discuss Ukraine, the Asia-Pacific and other issues, Russian foreign ministry says.

‘Unprecedented trilateral engagement’ for Washington, Tokyo and Manila when countries’ leaders meet next week, No 2 State Department official says.

US Treasury Department accused entities of channelling funds to North Korea’s weapons programmes. It said action was coordinated with South Korea.

Xi told the outgoing Dutch prime minister that ‘fragmenting industrial and supply chains will only lead to division and confrontation’

Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China official says the ‘overall technical scheme’ of the C929 ‘has been determined’, with the first middle section of the widebody passenger jet set to be delivered by September 2027.