The US authorities suggest that China is providing non-lethal military assistance to Russia, and in the future it may also begin the supply of lethal weapons. US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken spoke about this in an interview with NBC News.
“We are very concerned that China is considering providing lethal support to Russia in its aggression against Ukraine, and I have made it clear that this will have serious consequences for our relationship,” Blinken said. The day before, Secretary of State and senior Chinese diplomat Wang Yi held talks on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.
Earlier, NBC News reported on the concerns of the US authorities, citing four US officials familiar with the matter. According to them, Chinese aid to Russia may include equipment for the spring offensive, in particular, uniforms and body armor.
Shortly after Russian troops invaded Ukraine, the administration of President Joe Biden warned China that it should not provide material support to Russia in this war, threatening consequences if it did not. One NBC News source noted that Beijing is trying to "sneak up to the front lines without getting caught."