China considers giving guns, ammo to Russia for Ukraine war

BEIJING, China — Nearly a year after Russia invaded Ukraine, new questions are being raised about China’s willingness to provide military aid to Moscow in the increasingly protracted conflict.

In an interview that aired Sunday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said US intelligence indicates China is considering supplying arms and ammunition to Russia, an intervention in the war effort. of the Kremlin, which he said would be a “serious problem”.

China has refused to criticize Russia for its actions or even call it an invasion out of respect for Moscow. At the same time affirming the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries must be upheld.

The question now is whether China is willing to turn that verbal support into material support.

On Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin accused the United States of “blowing fire and igniting confrontations” by supplying Ukraine with defensive weapons, and said Beijing would “Never accept (the US) pointing fingers, even coercing and putting pressure on China-Russia. relationship.”

Here’s a look at China’s stance on the conflict.

China has tried to take a good – and often contradictory – line to the Russian invasion.

China says Russia has been provoked into action by NATO’s eastward expansion. Just a few weeks before the February 24, 2022 invasion, Chinese President Xi Jinping hosted Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing for the opening of the Winter Olympics, at the time, the sides brought issued a joint statement pledging an “unrestricted” friendship. Since then, China has ignored Western criticism and reaffirmed that commitment.

But China has yet to confirm the visit Mr. Putin has said he expects from Mr. Xi this spring.

Blinken said Sunday on NBC that China is “trying to get it both ways.” nonlethal support directly supporting and abetting the Russian war effort.”

So far, China’s support for Russia has been rhetorical and political, with Beijing helping to thwart efforts to condemn Moscow at the United Nations.

Blinken, at a security conference in Munich, Germany, said the US had long been concerned that China would supply arms to Russia and “we have information that makes us concerned that they are considering providing assistance. damage to Russia in the war against Ukraine. That comes a day after Blinken held talks with Wang Yi, the highest-ranking foreign policy official in the Chinese Communist Party, in a meeting that gave no sign of easing tensions or progressing on the issue. Ukraine.

“It is important for me to be very clear with Wang that this is going to be a serious problem,” Blinken said, referring to the possibility of military assistance to Russia.

US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield also expressed concern about any attempt by China to arm Russia, saying “it would be a red line”.

Russian and Chinese forces have held joint military exercises since Russia invaded Ukraine a year ago, most recently sending ships to participate in exercises with the South African navy in an important shipping route. important off the coast of South Africa.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Monday: “It is the US that continues to supply weapons to the battlefield, not China. The principle that China follows on the Ukraine issue can simply promote peace negotiations.”

After the meeting between Wang Yi and Blinken, China’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement that China has always played a constructive role in the Ukraine conflict by respecting principles, promoting peace, and promoting peace. negotiate.

The ministry said the China-Russia partnership was “established on the basis of non-alignment, non-confrontation, and non-targeting of third parties,” and that the United States was “adding fuel to the fire to take advantage of the take advantage of the opportunity to make a profit.”

Beijing says it continues to have a normal commercial relationship with Russia, including buying oil and gas, as well as other countries such as India. That trade is seen as an economic lifeline for Moscow, but there are no documented cases of China providing direct aid to the Russian military via cheap military drones without Iran sold to Moscow.

Blinken said on Monday in the Turkish capital Ankara that there would be “real consequences … if China supplies lethal weapons to Russia” or helps Moscow evade sanctions “yes” system”. He did not specify what measures Washington would take in response to China’s military support for Russia, but said other countries would join the United States in taking similar actions.

Efforts to bring down a relationship that has deteriorated to its lowest level in decades have so far been unsuccessful. The United States has sought to limit China’s access to the latest microprocessors and manufacturing equipment, while continuing to challenge China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea.

For China, the most sensitive issue is US support for Taiwan, the self-governing democratic island that Beijing considers its territory to be conquered by force if deemed necessary. Taiwan is a major buyer of US defensive weapons and has hosted a growing number of prominent US elected officials, angering Beijing.

Meanwhile, members of the US Congress have called for a ban on TikTok and other Chinese-owned social media platforms, as well as increased sanctions on Chinese companies that are backed by the Communist Party. Communist-backed, the party wields ultimate control over China’s economy and suppresses independent media and political opposition voices.

Andrew Wilks, AP contributor reporting from Istanbul.