Recently, the New York Times reported that, in the past three months, senior Biden administration officials conducted over six meetings with the leading figures in the Chinese government.  During these meetings, U.S. officials presented intelligence showing Russia's troop buildup around Ukraine and purportedly "beseeched the Chinese to tell Russia not to invade."  The same report states that Chinese officials who were part of the meeting — people such as China's foreign minister and ambassador to America — vehemently rejected claims that a Russian invasion of Ukraine was imminent.  Why in the world would they do that when they know that these nations have a shared interest in weakening America?

In December, U.S. officials received intelligence that China had shared with Russia information the U.S. had given China, explaining that America was attempting to cause a rift between Russia and China.  China even pledged not to hinder any Russian plans and subsequent actions in Ukraine.

It's been said that Chinese president Xi Jinping asked Putin not to initiate any military action during the Winter Olympics in China and that Putin agreed.  That report is believable because the Olympics ended on February 20, and Putin began a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on the morning of February 25.

Following Russia's entry into Ukraine, Hua Chunying, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, at a news conference in Beijing said that the U.S. was "the culprit of current tensions surrounding Ukraine."

"On the Ukraine issue, lately the U.S. has been sending weapons to Ukraine, heightening tensions, creating panic and even hyping up the possibility of warfare," she said. "If someone keeps pouring oil on the flame while accusing others of not doing their best to put out the fire, such kind of behavior is clearly irresponsible and immoral."

She added: "When the U.S. drove five waves of NATO expansion eastward all the way to Russia's doorstep and deployed advanced offensive strategic weapons in breach of its assurances to Russia, did it ever think about the consequences of pushing a big country to the wall?" She has refused to call Russia's assault an "invasion" when pressed by foreign journalists.

Hua's tirade is consistent with the joint statement that China and Russia issued on February 4, when President Xi and President Putin met at the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympic Games in Beijing.  They announced their countries' partnership had "no limits."  They also "intended to stand together against American-led democratic nations."  Significantly, China agreed with Russia to condemn any NATO expansion.

According to Chinese state media, after Russia attacked Ukraine, Putin told Xi during a telephone call that the U.S. and NATO had ignored Russia's "legitimate security concerns" and had repeatedly breached promises to Russia.  Xi, in turn, reiterated China's public position that it was important to respect the "reasonable security concerns of all countries," while respecting their sovereignty.  Putin, in turn, said he was willing "to have high-level negotiations with Ukraine."

Looking at these facts, one cannot help feeling baffled at the doings of the Biden administration.

Image: Putin and Xi Jinping.  YouTube screen grab.

It is common knowledge that Russia is China's slightly junior partner and both nations have strong diplomatic, economic, and even military ties.  Experts have claimed that the ties between China and Russia appear stronger than since the Cold War.

Both nations, through their leaders, see themselves as ideological and economic challengers against Western hegemony in the form of the United States and its European and Asian allies.  China and Russia recently signed a huge energy pact that would enable Russia to survive despite potential sanctions from the U.S. and NATO.  It's helpful to remember that, in 2014, after Russia annexed Crimea, China helped Russia survive sanctions.

It's common knowledge as well that one bond between the two leaders is that Putin's attitude toward Ukraine is identical to Xi's attitude toward Taiwan.  They refuse to accept the sovereignty and independent identities of their respective neighboring nations.

In addition to its known alliance with Russia, there's also China's terrible human rights record.  The U.S. State Department's website says the Chinese communist party "is waging a targeted campaign against Uyghur women, men, and children, and members of other Turkic Muslim minority groups in Xinjiang."  Additionally, "human rights abuses include coercive population control methods, forced labor, arbitrary detention in internment camps, torture, physical and sexual abuse, mass surveillance, family separation, and repression of cultural and religious expression" are rampant in China.  Strangely, the Biden administration seldom condemns these issues.

Knowing of China's alliance with Russia and its poor record on human rights and freedom, you'd think China would be an unreliable and trustworthy ally.  Why then would Biden officials, with their vast diplomatic experience, even entertain the idea of sharing intelligence about Russia's invasion plans with China and not expect the Chinese to relay it to the Russians?

Biden's bizarre intelligence choices regarding China should be seen in concert with other key choices he made.  When he was inaugurated, he immediately shut down the Keystone Pipeline.  A little more than a year later, he lifted sanctions on Nord Stream 2.  Both these acts made the E.U. more dependent on Russia for energy, enriching Russia and emboldening it to take military action against Ukraine.

Further, when Biden announced sanctions, Biden made it clear that none of the sanctions would affect Russia's energy production.  He also said the U.S. was not going to engage in any military action with Russia.  While this is a good principle, why did he state it that explicitly?  At times, remarks such as "all options are on the table," while avoiding explicit statements about counteractions, can serve as a powerful deterrent.

Given the Biden administration's strange allegiance with China and acts strengthening Biden's economy, one must ask: are Biden officials ignorant, incompetent, or compromised?  The answer is probably "all of the above."