Russia, China push back against US in pre-Olympics summit

By KEN MORITSUGU
Associated Press

BEIJING (AP) — The leaders of Russia and China have declared their joint opposition to any expansion of NATO and affirmed that the island of Taiwan is a part of China. Friday’s joint communique followed a meeting between Russia’s Vladimir Putin and China’s Xi Jinping hours before the Winter Olympics kicked off in Beijing. Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi appeared to use the statement to push back against pressure from the U.S. and its allies, as Russia amasses troops on its border with Ukraine. Putin is the highest-profile guest at the Beijing Games following the decision of the U.S., Britain and others not to send officials in protest of China’s human rights abuses. China and Russia have increasingly aligned their foreign policies bilaterally and in world bodies such as the United Nations