The US Secretary of State, Antony Blink, has warned this Sunday that China is studying the possibility of supplying arms and ammunition to Russia. In an interview with CBS, Blinken explained that China already provides “non-lethal support” to Russia, but the latest information available to Washington suggest that it could provide “lethal support”, which could have “serious consequences”, has warned.
“To date we have seen that Chinese companies (…) provide non-lethal support to Russia for its use in Ukraine. We are now concerned that the information we have is that they are considering providing lethal support.”
Blinken explained that he met on Saturday at the Munich Security Conference with the Chinese Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, who transferred the “deep concern” of the United States on “the possibility of China providing lethal weapons to Russia”.
presumed neutrality
Beijing has even denied that Moscow has requested the supply of Chinese military material and has reiterated its position of neutrality with respect to the armed conflict in Ukraine with recurring calls for peace.
However, Washington agreed sanctioned a Chinese company for supplying satellite images of Ukraine to the Russian mercenary group Wagner, which contributes thousands of fighters to the offensive. In fact, Blinken has pointed out that “evidently in China there is no distinction between private companies and the state.
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If this delivery of arms finally takes place, it would cause “a big issue for us and for our relationship” with China, a link already strained by the recent downing of a Chinese spy balloon that Beijing says accidentally drifted across the US from west to east.
Blinken has also expressed fear that China will help Russia evade the Economic sanctions westerners. Bilateral trade between Russia and China continues to increase and Beijing continues to buy Russia’s oil, gas and coal.