90% of electronics imported by Russia comes from China. This gives it ability to produce tanks and ammunition at record pace - Blinken
China provides enormous support to Russia’s defence industry in the form of microelectronics supplies. This allows Russia to rapidly produce weapons that are then used in the war against Ukraine.
This was stated by US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken during a hearing in the Senate of the US Congress, Ukrinform reports, Censor.NET reports.
According to Blinken, China has not been recorded as transferring weapons to Russia, as Iran and North Korea do. However, China does supply the Kremlin with dual-use goods, including microelectronics.
Blinken noted that 70% of all machine tools imported by Russia come from China. In addition, he said, 90% of microelectronics also come to Russia from China.
The US Secretary of State noted that Russia will use Chinese dual-use goods to build up its military-industrial complex.
"A lot of it goes to building up the defence industrial base, and as a result, we see Russia producing tanks and artillery ammunition at a record pace," Blinken said.
The US official noted that the US is taking appropriate steps to counter this. First of all, work is underway to identify these supplies and warn the Chinese side. Blinken noted that during his visit to China, he spoke about this with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
Washington is also discussing these issues with European countries, with which Beijing is focused on trade.
"We cannot have China, on the one hand, claiming to seek better relations with Europe, and on the other hand, fuelling the greatest threat to European security since the end of the Cold War," Blinken said.
In addition, the top US diplomat recalled the US sanctions against Chinese companies that violate the embargo on Russia.
"We have already imposed sanctions on more than 100 legal entities in China that supplied dual-use products and other items on the sanctions lists. We will continue to do so, and we are working to coordinate our efforts with European and other partners," the politician said.
Earlier, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that thanks to China's technological support, Russia still has the ability to wage war against Ukraine. According to him, China supplies Russia with electronics and technologies for the production of missiles, drones and other weapons.
