For the first time since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine, the US has accused China of providing ‘lethal aid’ to Moscow, according to a report by the Financial Times.
US deputy secretary of state Kurt Campbell told reporters on Tuesday that Beijing was supplying components to Moscow that would “help sustain, build and diversify various elements of the Russian war machine,” according to the FT report.
In return, Russia was helping China develop military technologies such as submarines, aeronautics missiles, FT quoted Campbell as saying.
Washington’s accusations come at a time when ties between the world’s two biggest superpowers are fraught with issues around trade and technology. Beijing’s support for Russia, after Moscow was left debilitated by Western sanctions over its invasion of Ukraine, has been a key thorn in the US-China relationship.
Campbell’s statements are especially significant considering the US has, so far, refrained from levelling those accusations against Beijing.
Washington has, until now, maintained it has no evidence that China has given ‘lethal aid’ to Russia.
Last year, however, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had warned Wang Yi – China’s top diplomat at the time, and the country’s foreign minister at present – that if Beijing were to provide ‘lethal aid’ to Moscow, it would have “serious consequences” for the US-China relationship.
- Vishakha Saxena
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