China not yet decided to provide lethal weapons to Russia: US official

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
22 Feb 2023 22:08

The US official said that in the event China decides to assist Russia in its military operation in Ukraine, life would be more difficult for China as well.

Derek Chollet, the Counsellor of the US Department of State (Euractiv)

US State Department counsel Derek Chollet said in an interview with CBS News on Wednesday that the US still has not made a decision to provide Russia with military assistance to be used against Kiev's forces.

"Our assessment is they have not yet made that decision up to this point," Chollet said. "But there are just increasing indications that this is something on their minds."

Chollet added that in the event China decides to assist Russia in its military operation in Ukraine, life would be more difficult for China as well.

The official noted that despite issues of concern between the US and China, such as the Chinese research balloon that accidentally flew over US airspace, Washington is still committed to maintaining open lines of communication to address important bilateral matters and global security.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken claimed Sunday that China was considering the provision of arms to Russia in the midst of the Ukraine war, warning that arms supplies from Beijing to Washington would "cause a serious problem."

"The concern we have now is based on information we have that they're considering providing lethal support," Blinken told CBS's Face The Nation.

Asked about what the arms supplies from China would include, Blinken claimed that it would include "everything from ammunition to the weapons themselves."

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin blamed the US for fueling escalations in the conflict by providing Kiev with arms and weapons.

During his meeting with Blinken on Sunday, the Chinese diplomat called out the US' mishandling of the balloon fiasco as “absurd and hysterical” and “100% an abuse of the use of force", adding that he considered that the Biden administration has a "misguided" perception of Beijing, accusing Washington of trying to "smear" the Asian giant.

"There are many balloons from many countries in the sky. Do you want to down each and every one of them?" he asked, urging the US "not to do such preposterous things simply to divert attention from its own domestic problems."

Earlier today, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that China has categorically denied all allegations of Beijing's intentions to supply Russia with arms to be used in the Ukraine conflict.