Blinken questions China’s commitment to peace amid support for Russia

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday questioned whether China wants peace as he met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi raising concern over Beijing’s exports that are bolstering Russian military capabilities.

Two officials met yesterday on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly as both nations seek to ease tensions previously heightened over issues including Ukraine and competition in Africa. While Blinken acknowledged progress in diplomatic efforts, he emphasized the US vigilance over the trade between China and Russia and hinted at more possible sanctions.

Blinken said China was contributing to what he called the “war machine” of Russian President Vladimir Putin. “When Beijing says it wants peace while allowing its companies to fuel Putin’s aggression, that’s a contradiction,” he noted at a news conference.

He clarified, “Our target is not a break between Russia and China. That’s their choice. However if that relationship lets Russia carry on its war it becomes an issue for us as well as many other nations, especially in Europe.”.

The Secretary of State indicated that China is supplying Russia with key military production assets, furnishing 70% of machine tools and 90% of microelectronics for the manufacture of items as enumerated to include rocket artillery and armored vehicles.

In response, Wang stressed that China is “open and transparent” over its stance on the Ukraine conflict and was urging peace along with political solutions. It was apparently so in Beijing’s diplomatic communiqué when Wang accused the U.S. of “slandering and sanctioning China” and appealed for Washington not to further aggravate divisions or provoke confrontation.

China asserts that it has never directly supplied weapons to Russia, while the U.S., at the onset of the conflict, has obligated tens of billions of dollars in defence aid to Ukraine.

Wang further said, “China is not a cause of the Ukraine crisis and has nothing to do with it. We support peace absolutely.”

Criticism of peace talks

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky turned a U.N. address against China and Brazil for seeking to broker an end to the war, which, he said, resembles colonial efforts to bully Ukraine into a peace deal. Two days later, the two nations plus others from the emerging world renewed their commitment to a “comprehensive and lasting settlement” through diplomacy. At the same time, they urged all parties to avoid any threats or use of weapons of mass destruction.

Notably, South Africa and Turkey also supported this statement. This week, Putin escalated rhetoric with a threat to use nuclear weapons if Russia is subjected to major attacks, as Ukraine tries to prolong the second phase of its counteroffensive with Western help.

Diplomatic developments

Since their last meeting during that visit to China in July, China has made several moves that pleased the U.S., as with the release of a pastor who spent years in prison. Many other Americans, however, are not yet free.

At the summit in November 2023, Chinese President Xi Jinping finally agreed to reopen military communication with the U.S. and work on production of fentanyl, an opioid-related crisis in America.

Such words notwithstanding, there are still many areas of disagreement. Blinken warned Wang against China’s “dangerous, destabilizing actions” in the South China Sea, where tensions have heightened between China and the Philippines, a US ally. “We expect all countries to respect their obligations under international law and to refrain from carrying out actions that have the potential to cause disturbances in the region,” Mr. Wang retorted, calling on the US to respect regional efforts aimed at maintaining peace and stability in the region.

He accused the US of its “repression” of China’s trade, technology, and economic activities and called for a dialogue that must be based on mutual respect. He asked Blinken to cultivate a rational understanding of China and strive for constructive coexistence.

This summit is happening before the election on Nov. 5, where the Republicans’ presidential candidate Donald Trump had promised to get tougher on China. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have though reasserted their intentions to have dialogue and not create any contention, but their administration has also been quite tough.

The deputy to Blinken, Kurt Campbell, was recently testifying before the Congress. According to Campbell, China is a much bigger challenge for the United States today than the Soviet Union was when the Cold War was at its peak.