U.S. Raises Concerns Over China's Alleged Military Aid to Russia

The United States has expressed concerns about China's alleged military assistance to Russia, which could undermine international efforts to isolate Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to raise concerns about China's support for Russia's defense industrial base during his upcoming visit to China.

According to U.S. officials, China has significantly increased its sales to Russia of materials used in the manufacture of military equipment, including components for drones, missiles, optical implements, microelectronics, aviation parts, and machine tools. The U.S. believes that Russia would struggle to sustain its war effort without these inputs from China.

Why this matters: China's alleged military aid to Russia has the potential to prolong the conflict in Ukraine and undermine global efforts to hold Russia accountable for its actions. It also highlights the complex geopolitical dynamics at play and the challenges in maintaining international unity against aggression.

President Joe Biden raised the issue with Chinese President Xi Jinping in a recent phone call, and Blinken is expected to discuss it with NATO foreign ministers and G7 counterparts as well. The U.S. has warned China not to aid Moscow's war effort since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz also visited China and urged President Xi to pressure Russia to end the war, saying China's word carries weight. However, China has not changed its position, which is to blame Europe and the U.S. for prolonging the fighting by supplying Ukraine with weapons.

Despite political and trade frictions, China remained Germany's top trading partner in 2023. Scholz's visit highlighted trade-related tensions, with the EU and U.S. complaining about China's unfair competition through subsidies and massive production capacity in green-energy products.

U.S. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller stated, "We have seen materials moving from China to Russia that Russia has used to rebuild its industrial base and produce arms used on the battlefield in Ukraine." Blinken plans to discuss these concerns directly with the Chinese side during his upcoming visit to China in the coming weeks.

Key Takeaways

• U.S. concerned about China's alleged military aid to Russia in Ukraine war
• China has increased sales to Russia of materials used in military equipment
• China's aid could prolong Ukraine conflict and undermine efforts to hold Russia accountable
• Biden, Blinken, and Scholz have urged China to pressure Russia to end the war
• U.S. plans to discuss these concerns directly with China during Blinken's upcoming visit