(TibetanReview.net, Apr08’24) — China and Ukraine established formal diplomatic relations in 1992, a year after the latter gained independence from the erstwhile Soviet Union, and went on to declare themselves strategic partners in 2011. But now China has ramped up support for Russia, its “no limits friend”, which is in the third year of its invasion of Ukraine, by sending it rifle scopes, tank components, rocket fuel and even satellite imagery, reported telegraph.co.uk and pravda.com.ua Apr 7, citing US officials and Bloomberg.
While claiming to be neutral in Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, China has also begun sending microelectronics, propellants used in missile production and turbojet engines to Russia, sidestepping Western sanctions, reports said.
“Amid signs of continued military integration between the two nations, China has (also) provided Russia with satellite imagery for military purposes, as well as microelectronics and machine tools for tanks, according to people familiar with the matter,” pravda.com.ua cited Bloomberg as saying.
As a result, in 2023, trade between the two countries was stated to have reached a record US$240 billion, with Russia having increased its exports of goods such as coal and oil to China.
Russia is currently outgunning Ukrainian forces across the frontlines because the EU and the US have struggled to supply promised ammunition.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was reported to have briefed European allies this week on China’s recent increased support for Russia.
Analysts have been cited as saying China may have switched to a policy of quietly supporting the Kremlin’s war machine.
“Beijing doesn’t give arms because it fears US secondary sanctions and wants to develop EU relations, but still silently supplies machinery that’s important for Russia to sustain its arms production,” Carl Bildt, co-chair of the European Council on Foreign Relations think tank and a former Swedish prime minister, has said.
“Crucially, China and Hong Kong have also become key gateways for Moscow to access restricted technologies, including chips and integrated circuits, used in weapons or needed to build them. The US and EU have listed several Chinese firms for enabling those transfers, but the trade shows little sign of dropping off,” Bloomberg has said.