Blinken Warns China Over Support For Russia’s War Efforts

This Is An International News On Why Blinken Warned China – Blinken warns China over support for Russia’s war efforts.

On Friday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed “serious concern” over China’s backing for Russia’s defense sector, warning Chinese authorities that Washington may impose penalties over the issue.

Blinken’s remarks came in Beijing, just after he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and other top Chinese leaders to discuss a variety of bilateral concerns.

According to US sources, China’s transfer of microchips, machine tools, and other materials used by Russia to construct weapons for its conflict against Ukraine was near the top of Blinken’s agenda.

“I told Xi, if China does not address this problem, we will,” Blinken went on to say.

For weeks, US officials have hinted at more restrictions to dissuade China’s supply of so-called dual-use commodities to Russia, which Washington claims has been critical to Moscow’s conflict against Ukraine. However, it is unclear how far Washington will go, given that shutting off big Chinese banks from the US financial system may harm both the US and the global economies.

At a news briefing in Beijing, Blinken did not specify any specific actions, claiming simply that the US had already placed penalties on more than 100 Chinese firms. “We’re fully prepared to act, take additional measures, and I made that very clear in my meetings today,” he told reporters.

China has defended its attitude to Russia, claiming that it is merely engaging in routine commercial interactions with a significant trade partner. In his public statements Friday, Xi made no mention of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Instead, he emphasized the need for US-China relations to improve.

“China and the United States should be partners rather than rivals; help each other succeed rather than hurt each other; seek common ground and reserve differences, rather than engage in vicious competition,” Xi said in a statement.

Blinken Warns China Over Support For Russia’s War Efforts – Watch Video

Blinken’s meeting with Xi had not been previously disclosed, although it was highly anticipated.

Last year, after Xi visited with President Joe Biden in California, US-China ties stabilized. At the meeting, the two sides agreed to reestablish military-to-military contact and take efforts to curb the supply of fentanyl, a toxic opioid that causes tens of thousands of drug overdoses in the United States each year.

Blinken hailed “important progress” on the fentanyl issue, while asking that China do more, including prosecuting individuals who supply fentanyl-producing ingredients and equipment. Blinken also revealed that both parties have agreed to hold their initial conversations about concerns of artificial intelligence.

Even if communication channels remain open, the United States and China continue to disagree on a wide variety of topics, including economic policy and territorial concerns.

The Biden administration is concerned about inexpensive Chinese exports, notably heavily subsidized green technology items, which it claims are undermining US industries.

During a five-and-a-half-hour meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday, Blinken expressed concerns about the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, Chinese activities in the South China Sea, which is under dispute, and the need to avoid an increase in tensions in the Middle East and on the Korean Peninsula, according to a US readout.

China accuses the United States of unlawfully attempting to limit its economic and military strength. Following his discussion with Blinken, Wang stated that China-US relations are “beginning to stabilize” but that negative elements are “increasing and building,” warning that the partnership risks “all kinds of disruptions.”

“Should China and the United States keep to the right direction of moving forward with stability or return to a downward spiral?” Wang asked. “This is a major question before our two countries.”