Blinken tells China it's in their interest to stop helping Russia

BEIJING - China-- Secretary of State Antony Blinken concluded a visit to China by meeting Chinese leader Xi Jinping and making a pitch for China to change course.

The Secretary of State spoke with Morning Edition's Steve Inskeep after meeting China's President in Beijing.

The U.S. has accused China of selling vital components to Russia's military as it invades Ukraine. In the NPR interview, Blinken said he told his counterparts that helping Russia is against China's interests because China wants better relations with European nations that see Russia as a threat.

Blinken paired that argument with a warning — telling China that if they "won't act,