Blinken warns NATO allies of 'concerning' China-Russia cooperation: FT
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Reportedly, Blinken went off during a NATO ministers meeting, warning against expanding Chinese support to Russia.
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United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken addresses a media conference after a meeting of NATO foreign ministers at NATO headquarters in Brussels, on April 4, 2024 (AP)
The United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, has warned against a "concerning scale" of Chinese support for Russia during the latter's Special Military Operation in Ukraine, during this week's NATO foreign ministers' summit in Brussels, according to the Financial Times.
Concerned over the alleged matter, Blinken said that China is now assisting Russia and providing "tools, inputs, and technical expertise" to Moscow, unnamed sources told FT.
The top diplomat said that Beijing is supporting its neighbor with the development of critical technologies and equipment, including propellants, optical sensors, and its space sector, which Blinken says does not only contribute to the Russian "aggression" in Ukraine but threatens other countries.
"The warnings were explicit. There has been a shift and it was felt in the room... this was a new development. It was very striking," one of the sources informed on the matter told the newspaper.
Blinken has raised the issue of Russia-China trade relations in every session of the NATO foreign ministers' meetings and asked them to raise concerns in talks with China, speak publicly about them, and take appropriate action on Chinese entities and persons affiliated with Russia's industrial sector.
Read more: Russia, China to work towards 'more just multipolar world order'
On the other hand, China has pushed for more stable relations with the US's NATO allies in Europe, urging cooperation on a variety of issues and fields.
"A more stable and closer relationship between China and Europe not only works to the advantage of both sides but also brings benefits to the whole world. It is imperative that China and Europe stay clear of geopolitical and ideological distractions, see each other as partners rather than rivals … and point the way to overcome difficulties together," Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in a key address at the Munich Security Conference.
Earlier in February, the Kremlin reported details of a phone conversation between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
According to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov, the two leaders accused the US of interference in their respective countries' affairs.
They jointly denounced the "US policy of interfering in the internal affairs of other states."
Read more: China to protect its firms against possible anti-Russian US sanctions
