Biden warns China of consequences in military aid to Russia
2023.02.25 07:54
Biden warns China of consequences in military aid to Russia
By Kristina Sobol
Budrigannews.com – Although he warned that any such action would draw a response from the United States, President Joe Biden stated that he did not anticipate China to provide Russia with significant weapons assistance to assist Moscow in its war against Ukraine.
In an interview with ABC News on Friday, Biden stated, “I don’t anticipate — we haven’t seen it yet — but I don’t anticipate a major initiative on the part of China providing weaponry to Russia.”
Biden continued, “We would respond.”
Concerns that China may assist in arming Russian President Vladimir Putin’s forces waging war on Ukraine and the ongoing dispute over a Chinese balloon that the US shot down early this month have simmered tensions between Washington and Beijing.
Biden responded, “It would be the same line everyone else would have crossed, in other words, we will impose severe sanctions on anyone who has done that,” when asked if China providing lethal arms would cross a line.
This week, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that Chinese companies likely received approval from the Chinese government to provide Russia with non-lethal, “dual-use” support. However, Blinken did not provide any examples or evidence that the Chinese government has approved items that can serve both civilian and military purposes.
Later, China stated that it does not “offer any arms sales to war zones or parties involved in wars.” It then made a cease-fire plan that would require significant concessions from Russia, which Ukraine, the United States, and its allies rejected.
“Putin is ecstatic about it. How could it possibly be good? Biden stated to ABC. There is nothing in the plan that, if the Chinese plan were implemented, would benefit anyone but Russia, according to what I have seen.
Beijing has been publicly warned by Biden and Blinken not to fully support Russia’s invasion.
