China Speaks Out After Joe Biden Accuses Russia of 'Genocide'

China has repeated calls for calm and refused to be drawn into a debate about possible war crimes in Ukraine after Joe Biden accused Vladimir Putin and his troops of committing "genocide." Biden was speaking in Iowa on Tuesday when he used the word for the first time, describing his Russian opposite number as a dictator who "declares war and commits genocide half a world away." The American president later said the pointed declaration, which carriers implications in international law, was deliberate.

Zhao Lijian, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said Beijing was aware of Biden's charged remarks, but his brief response suggested Beijing would remain noncommittal about the Kremlin's actions, 46 days into the invasion of Ukraine.

"On the Ukraine issue, China has always believed the top priority is for all relevant parties to remain calm, exercise restraint, cease hostilities as soon as possible and avoid a large-scale humanitarian crisis," he said at a regular press briefing on Wednesday.

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