China is helping Russia carry out “its largest military expansion since the Soviet era, and at a greater pace than we thought possible” at the start of the war in Ukraine, a senior US official warned on Friday. The United States is encouraging Beijing to instead play “a constructive role” in the conflict, he said, adding: “We hope our allies will join us.”
“Chinese and Russian entities were working to produce drones together” on Russian soil
The Americans particularly hope that European countries will put pressure on China to reduce its military support for Russia. This call comes as German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, whose country maintains particularly close economic ties with China, is due to go there from Saturday for a three-day visit.
As examples of Beijing’s support for the Russian military-industrial complex, another senior US official cited massive purchases by Moscow of Chinese electronic components, machine tools and explosives, adding that “entities Chinese and Russian companies were working to produce drones together” on Russian soil. The two American officials cited requested anonymity.
In detail, the information available to the Biden administration shows that over the last three months of 2023, “more than 70% of Russia’s machine tool imports came from China”, which according to them allowed Russians to increase their production of ballistic missiles.
China delivers nitrocellulose, a material used to make artillery ammunition
The Americans named the Chinese company Dalian Machine Tool Group among Russia’s suppliers. The senior officials already cited also indicated that the groups Wuhan Global Sensor Technology, Wuhan Tongsheng Technology, and Hikvision supplied optical systems used for example in Russian tanks. They also gave the names of the Chinese companies iRay Technology and North China Research Institute of Electro-Optics.
China also delivers to Russia, according to the same source, drone engines and propulsion systems for cruise missiles, as well as nitrocellulose, a material used by Russia to make artillery ammunition. “We also know that China is providing reconnaissance images to Russia for its war against Ukraine,” said the senior official already cited.
“One of the most decisive ways to help Ukraine today is to convince China to stop helping Russia rebuild its military-industrial base,” commented the other senior American official. The United States has recently increased its warnings to Beijing, and the question of military support for Russia was, for example, on the menu of a recent conversation between Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.
The American president presents himself as Ukraine’s main ally since the invasion by Russia, but his policy comes up against Republican opposition in Congress. The American right has for months blocked the vote on additional funds intended for military support in kyiv.