Blinken questions China peace push over Russia help

NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday questioned China’s sincerity in seeking peace in Ukraine as he directly pressed his counterpart over exports that boost Russia’s military.

Blinken met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, the latest talks as the two powers look to dial down once-soaring tensions.

While crediting the diplomacy with bringing progress, Blinken warned that the US would not back down on concerns over China’s exports to Russia and made clear that Washington could impose more sanctions.

Blinken said that China is fueling the “war machine” of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“When Beijing says that, on the one hand, that it wants peace, it wants to see an end to the conflict, but on the other hand is allowing its companies to take actions that are actually helping Putin continue the aggression, that doesn’t add up,” Blinken told a news conference.

“Our intent is not to decouple Russia from China. Their relationship is their business,” he said.

“But insofar as that relationship involves providing Russia what it needs to continue this war, that’s a problem for us, and it’s a problem for many other countries, notably in Europe,” Blinken added.

The top US diplomat said that China has provided 70 percent of machine tools and 90 percent of microelectronics needed by Russia for military production that includes rockets and armored vehicles.

Wang told Blinken during the meeting that China’s position on the Ukraine conflict was “open and aboveboard, always advocating for peace and dialogue, and working towards a political solution,” Beijing’s foreign ministry said in a statement on Saturday.