US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Sunday that China is considering providing weapons to Russia in its war against Ukraine. He warned Beijing that any supply “would create serious problems”. “Our concern now is based on the information we have that they are considering lethal aid,” Blinken told CBS’s “Face the Nation.”
When asked what would be the lethal aid, he said “everything from ammunition to weapons.”
Blinken made similar comments in a series of interviews with American television in Germany. In Germany on Saturday, he attended the Munich Security Conference and met his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi.
A State Department official said he told Wang that “there will be consequences if China avoids systemic sanctions and gives aid to Russia.”
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Reacts
“For us, it is important that China does not support the Russian Federation in this war. In fact, I would like it to be on our side,” Zelensky told German daily Die Welt.
“At the moment, however, I don’t think it’s possible. But I do see an opportunity for China to make a pragmatic assessment of what is happening here,” he further said.
“Because if China allies itself with Russia, there will be a world war, and I do think that China is aware of that,” he added.
Strained relationship
Overall, the US comments appeared to be the clearest warning yet. This indicates that China may be ready to help Russia in its nearly year-long war against Ukraine, going beyond political or diplomatic support.
America’s statements have come at a time when its relations with China are already going on tense. America recently shot down a large Chinese spy balloon.
On Sunday on ABC, Blinken emphasized that US President Joe Biden warned his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping against sending arms to Russia as early as last March.
According to an administration source with knowledge of the matter, since that time “China has been careful not to cross the line, which includes prohibiting the sale of lethal weapon systems for use on the battlefield.”
Lindsey Graham, a top Republican senator who also attended the Munich conference, said arming Russia would be a grave mistake for China. He said, “It would be dirty stupidity. It would be like buying tickets for the movie Titanic after watching it again.”
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