Jens Stoltenberg, the head of NATO, on Monday warned that China should be punished if it continues to support Russia, blaming Beijing for aggravating the situation in Ukraine by exporting Russian defense industry’s recovery.
“The Chinese President Xi Jinping has been attempting to give an impression that he was a bystander in this conflict so as to avoid sanctions and keep the trade links open,” he said. “However, the truth is that at present, while trying to retain good relations with the West, China provokes the biggest armed conflict in Europe since World War II.” “It cannot be both ways for China,” he continued. “At some point- unless China reverses its course- there will have to be a cost imposed by allies. There must be consequences,” he concluded.
On Tuesday Antony Blinken joined Stoltenberg in condemning Beijing.”China’s support for Russia’s defence industrial base is prolonging Ukraine war and has to stop,” he told a press conference with his Nato counterpart. By aiding Russia economically through provision of vital support it needs during conflict,” says US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
In response, Beijing said Nato “should engage in self-reflection rather than arbitrary smears and attacks on China”. Lin Jian insisted: “(NATO) should avoid playing shift blame game or creating divisions but rather offer something tangible for political settlement,”, foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian advised.
But despite Western accusations that it is helping Moscow’s campaign in Ukraine, China’s strategic partnership with Russia has only deepened since the invasion of Crimea. And G7 foreign ministers on Friday expressed “strong concern” about transfers of dual use materials and weapons components from Chinese businesses to Russia being used by Moscow for its military expansion.
