Blinken threatened China with sanctions for “strengthening the defense industry” of Russia

The United States may impose sanctions against China if it continues to supply dual-use goods to Russia, thereby strengthening its military-industrial complex (MIC). US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated this at a press conference in Beijing after a meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

“During today’s discussions, I reiterated our serious concerns about the PRC’s supply of components that fuel Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. We are fully prepared to take action if there is no action from the Chinese side,” Blinken said, recalling that the United States has previously imposed sanctions against Chinese companies.

According to the HEAD of American diplomacy, China is the largest supplier of machine tools and microelectronics, as well as other dual-use goods to Russia. He stressed that Beijing cannot strive for good relations with Western countries while it continues to provide assistance to Russia.

“As we have told China, ensuring transatlantic security is [one of] key US interests. During our discussions today, I made it clear that if China does not solve this problem, then we will,” the Secretary of State concluded.

Blinken arrived in China on April 24 for a three-day working visit. He held several meetings with high-ranking representatives of the Chinese leadership, including Wang Yi. Following the negotiations, the head of the Chinese Foreign Ministry noted that relations between Beijing and Washington have generally stabilized, but negative factors in them continue to grow and accumulate. Both countries, he said, face "various interferences and sabotages" and China's legitimate right to development is being "unreasonably suppressed." Moreover, Beijing's core interests are constantly being questioned, Wang Yi added.

Earlier, the Financial Times wrote, citing sources, that Blinken, during his visit to China, intends to warn his colleagues that Washington and its allies are becoming increasingly intolerant of Beijing’s refusal to stop supplying Moscow with technology. According to the newspaper's interlocutors, the United States is considering the possibility of introducing sanctions against Chinese financial and other organizations.

One FT source said China is increasingly concerned about the possibility of sanctions against its banks. Before this, Izvestia wrote that China’s largest bank, ICBC, as well as China Citic Bank, Industrial Bank and Bank of Taizhou, stopped accepting payments in yuan from Russia. Kommersant reported that Chinese banks began to block Russian payments for the supply of components for electronics assembly.

The West has repeatedly expressed suspicions that Beijing is supplying Moscow with weapons. The Russian Foreign Ministry called statements about Beijing's help disinformation. Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the Kremlin “has nothing to add” to the position of the Chinese side, which denies military support from Moscow.