White House pressed on relationship with China amid US land purchases, support for Putin

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NSC coordinator for strategic communications John Kirby provides insight on the apparent momentum turn in the Russia-Ukraine conflict on 'The Story.'

A White House official was pressed Wednesday on the increasing purchases of U.S. land by Chinese interests, especially in sensitive areas like a North Dakota site within range of a U.S. Air Force Base housing secretive drone technology.

Retired Rear Admiral John Kirby, the National Security Council coordinator for strategic communications, told "The Story" on Fox News Wednesday the administration is indeed concerned and monitoring the situation, as China simultaneously engages in energy commerce with Russia amid the Kremlin's invasion of U.S.-backed Ukraine

As the Russian ruble has largely increased in value despite President Biden's overtures toward halting oil purchases by the U.S., Chinese President Xi Jinping has been meeting with Vladimir Putin and forging energy purchase agreements.

China has also helped Russia with "credit card activity" to help it evade Western sanctions, anchor Martha MacCallum reported on "The Story."

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Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, June 5, 2019. REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina/Pool (REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina/Pool)

When asked if there has been any change in policy or any forthcoming change in policy toward China given the current environment, Kirby replied, "I don't have anything to speak to today in terms of changes in our policies with respect to investment."

Kirby said the Biden administration wants a "price cap" on Russian oil so that Putin cannot benefit from sanction-evading revenue.

"We haven't seen any indication that [China] is violating the sanctions or giving material support to Russia with respect to Ukraine," he said. "Mr. Xi and Mr. Putin can talk about their meeting and characterize it how they want. We obviously don't want to see business as usual with Russia by anybody."

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President Biden posted a photo of him speaking on the phone after a call with Chinese President Xi Jinping, July 28, 2022. (White House)

Pressed on whether the White House is concerned at all about the massive Chinese land purchases in areas like Grand Forks, N.D., Kirby said it remains on their radar.

"Look, of course, it's a matter of concern. I just don't have a policy decision to speak to today," he said.

"But but obviously, it's a concern and we've been and we've been nothing but honest about and consistent about our concerns with with Chinese trade and economic practices."

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Graphic showing proximity of land purchased by Chinese food producer to Grand Forks AFB in North Dakota.  (Fox News)

"We refer to China as the pacing challenge because not just economically, but but from a security and military perspective, they continue to present challenges and challenges and threats to us in the Indo-Pacific region around the world that that we're going to stay focused on," Kirby added, as Xi has forged relationships with smaller, yet geopolitically key countries like the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific.

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Earlier this summer, the U.S. Coast Guard vessel USCGC Oliver Henry was unable to port in Honaira for a routine refueling after Solomon authorities reportedly did not respond to a request from the vessel, according to the U.K. Guardian.

The paper reported that country's government has had an increasingly "tense" relationship with Washington since it struck a security deal with Beijing.