Press
China is Russia’s most important ally. There are now allegations that Beijing is supporting the Kremlin in the Ukraine war with more than just dual-use goods.
British Defense Secretary Grant Shapps accuses China of attacking Russia Ukraine war to support with “lethal” goods. US and British intelligence agencies have “evidence” that “lethal aid is flowing or will flow from China to Russia and Ukraine,” Shapps said at a conference in London on Wednesday (May 22). He considers this to be a “significant development”.
Rishi Sunak’s defence minister did not say what the evidence was. Shapps simply pointed out that trade between China and Russia has grown significantly since the war began. Both countries are “covering each other’s backs” – it is time “for the world to wake up”.
“Deadly help” for Putin in the Ukraine war?
If the allegations are true, the allegations would likely have a massive impact on the relationship between China and Ukraine’s allies. So far, Great Britain and the USA have only accused Beijing of supporting the Russian war of aggression with so-called dual-use goods, i.e. goods that can serve both civil and military purposes. The delivery of “lethal help” would have a completely new quality.
President Xi Jinping promised French President Emmanuel Macron during his visit to France at the beginning of May that he wanted to control exports of dual-use goods more closely. These include armored vehicles and microchips, but also ball bearings that are installed in tanks. According to a study, around 90 percent of the dual-use goods that are particularly important for Russia’s war of aggression come from China. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said during a visit to China in late April that “Russia would have a hard time sustaining its attack on Ukraine without China’s support.”
China and Russia are moving closer together in the Ukraine war
China has not yet responded to the British allegations, but is likely to continue to claim that it does not support the Russian war of aggression and is behaving “neutrally” in the conflict. China’s foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said last week: “China handles the export of military goods carefully and responsibly and strictly controls the export of dual-use goods. China is neither the cause nor a participant in the Ukraine crisis.” Wang accused the USA of looking for a “scapegoat” and blaming China for the escalation in Ukraine.
What is undisputed, however, is that China and Russia have moved closer together since the start of the Ukraine war. Trade between the two countries grew to a record high of around 240 billion US dollars last year. China’s exports to its neighboring country even increased by 47 percent. In addition, state and party leader Xi and Russia’s president are entertaining Wladimir Putin close personal relationships. Xi most recently received his Russian counterpart in Beijing at the end of last week, and another meeting is planned for July. At the meeting in Beijing, Xi said China-Russia relations are “not only in the fundamental interests of both countries” but also “conducive to peace.” (sh)
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