In a pivotal meeting on Friday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken raised concerns with Chinese President Xi Jinping over Beijing's support for Moscow as Russia wages its brutal war in Ukraine.
During a press conference in Beijing, Blinken directly called out China's role in bolstering Russia's military industrial complex, stating, "Russia would struggle to sustain its assault on Ukraine without China's support."
Blinken specifically pointed to China being the top supplier of crucial components like machine tools, microelectronics, and materials used to make munitions and rocket propellants – dual-use items that Moscow is utilizing to ramp up its defense production.
Additionally, China has provided safe harbor to a U.S.-sanctioned Russian cargo ship believed to be carrying North Korean munitions, further aiding Russia's war efforts.
"I reiterated the U.S.' serious concern over China providing weapons components to Russia during discussions with Chinese officials," Blinken stated, though he did not comment on the potential for sanctions against Beijing.
A State Department official previously warned that China's support has allowed Russia to largely reconstitute its defense industrial base, posing a broader threat to European security.
Blinken echoed this, saying, "Beijing cannot achieve better relations with Europe while supporting the greatest threat to European security since the end of the Cold War."
China has defended its trade with Russia as normal economic relations between two sovereign nations. However, the U.S. has raised alarms over Beijing's involvement enabling Moscow's military campaigns.
The high-stakes meeting occurred as the U.S. and China attempt to maintain open communications amid escalating tensions. Blinken's Beijing trip followed recent visits by President Biden and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen.
Yet, alongside efforts to bolster ties, Blinken revealed the U.S. has evidence of Chinese interference attempts regarding the upcoming U.S. election, signaling persistent challenges in the fraught relationship.
As the Ukraine war rages on, Blinken's confrontation with Xi underscores Washington's increasing concerns over China's critical lifeline to Russia's faltering war machine and its potential to prolong the devastating conflict.