Bloomberg: Blinken to warn Beijing over support for Russia in upcoming trip to China
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U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will warn Beijing that the U.S. and its allies are "united in their opposition" to China's support for Russia's war against Ukraine, Bloomberg reported on April 20, citing an unnamed U.S. official.
Beijing has maintained close ties with Moscow during the war, increasing economic cooperation and disrupting Western attempts at isolating Russia.
Expanded trade with China has played a key role in allowing Moscow to keep its economy running and ramp up its military industry despite Western economic pressure.
The U.S. has repeatedly warned China against providing Russia with lethal military aid and urged Beijing to use its influence over Moscow to help end the war.
Blinken said on April 19 that China is the "primary contributor" to Russia's military-industrial complex, and cautioned that China cannot maintain good relations with the West while simultaneously supporting Russia's war effort.
"China can't have it both ways. It can't afford that," he said at a press conference.
The unnamed U.S. official told Bloomberg that Blinken will deliver the warning in person on his trip to Beijing and Shanghai on April 24-26, and "spell out the implications for European security" should China's support for Russia continue.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said earlier in April that there would be "significant consequences" if Chinese companies aid Russia's war effort.
China has insisted that its alliance with Russia is normal and that it has not supported either Ukraine or Russia with weapons throughout the full-scale war.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning responded to Western criticism in a press conference in April, claiming that the partnership between Beijing and Moscow constituted "normal cooperation."
Read also: Scholz says he asked Xi to ‘put pressure on Russia’ to end invasion
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