China rejects US criticism over possible arms supply to Russia

China’s Foreign Ministry has responded to concerns from US officials regarding Beijing’s possible provision of “lethal support” to Russia’s military by stating that the US “is not qualified to lecture” on arms supply. During a press conference, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin remarked that it is the US, not China, that continually supplies weapons to the battlefield.

Wang also noted that China rejects any attempt by the US to dictate or coerce pressure on Sino-Russian relations. Furthermore, he questioned who is encouraging peace and dialogue and who is promoting confrontation by providing knives.

China is urging peace and dialogue to resolve the Ukraine conflict and remains committed to playing a constructive role in promoting de-escalation and cooling down the situation. This comes after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed concern that China is contemplating enhancing its partnership with Moscow by providing lethal support to Russia’s military. Blinken raised the issue during a meeting with China’s top diplomat Wang Yi.

US officials familiar with the intelligence have stated that there are indications that Beijing intends to provide lethal military aid to Russia without being detected. Although they did not provide specific details, they shared the intelligence with their allies and partners. CNN reported that the US has observed “disturbing” trendlines in China’s support for Russia’s military.