U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken (L) and Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang shake hands before their meeting at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing on June 18, 2023.
Leah Millis | AFP | Getty Images
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will reportedly issue a warning about China’s support for Russian troops during a visit to Russia this week. senior state department official.
Blinken is expected to convey Washington’s “deep concern” over China’s aid to Russia’s defense industrial base during a three-day visit that begins on Wednesday.
“We are prepared to take steps when we deem it necessary against companies that are seriously undermining the security of Ukraine and Europe,” the official told reporters ahead of Blinken’s trip.
“I think we’ve shown our willingness to do this to companies in many countries, not just companies in China,” he added. “In any case, again I think this will be a key issue for us to discuss in Beijing.”
The official noted that U.S. allies in Europe are concerned about the implications of Beijing’s support for Russia’s war in Ukraine and “what that means for European security in particular, and then, of course, it will be China that determines the next steps.”
This will be Blinken’s second visit to China, following a high-stakes diplomatic trip last June aimed at easing tensions between the United States and China.
Blinken is expected to meet with senior Chinese officials, including Foreign Minister Wang Yi, during his visit to Beijing and Shanghai, according to the State Department. It was unclear whether the secretary of state would meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
China fuels threats to European security
Blinken said last week that China was a “major contributor” when it came to Russia’s defense industrial base G7 foreign ministers meeting In Italy.
“We’ve seen China share machine tools, semiconductors and other dual-use products that have helped Russia rebuild its defense industrial base, which has been severely weakened by sanctions and export controls,” he said.
“Now, if China claims to want good relations with Europe and other countries on the one hand, it cannot be contributing to the biggest threat to European security since the end of the Cold War on the other.”
According to CNBC analysis, Chinese companies are playing an increasingly important role in supporting Russia’s struggling economy and enhancing its military capabilities, including through the trade of goods used on the battlefield in Ukraine.
Data from last year appeared to show that Beijing was providing military equipment such as drones, helmets, vests and radios, extending a lifeline to President Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine.
The senior official said Blinken will also “discuss a range of bilateral, regional and global issues” such as crises in the Middle East and China’s provocations in the South China Sea.
Beijing claims nearly the entire South China Sea as its own and has territorial disputes with Southeast Asian countries including the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam.Washington has been warned Non-interference in China’s territorial and maritime rights.
On trade, the two countries continue to compete for technological supremacy, with China lashing out at US investigations into its maritime, logistics and shipbuilding industries just last week, calling the move “a mistake upon a mistake.”
Senior U.S. officials pointed out that Washington’s expectations for Blinken’s visit to resolve key issues are realistic.
“I want to make it clear that we are realistic and sober about the prospects for breakthroughs on these issues,” he said.
“But we will continue to use diplomacy to communicate our positions and policies, dispel misunderstandings, and emphasize that we will continue to take action to protect our national security and economy.”
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