economic aid. what more do we know? >> reporter: we've asked the chinese foreign ministry for comment. we have not heard back. but i expect officials to stick to their usual talking points, stressing china's supposed impartiality in this conflict, and denouncing the u.s. for quote-unquote trying to smear china. and talking about eastward expansion as the cause of the conflict. but the timing of this from washington is very interesting. jake sullivan is meeting the country's key adviser to president xi in just a few hours in rome. the chinese have framed the meeting as long-planned, not something hastily arranged because of the situation in ukraine. and state media outlets may be