China won’t arm Russia in Ukraine war – but don’t rule out third parties, analysts say
- Beijing wants to retain its economic ties with the West but will not abandon its relationship with Moscow, observers say
- US and EU have warned against any effort to supply weapons to Russian troops
Zhou Chenming, a researcher from the Beijing-based Yuan Wang military science and technology think tank, said it would be very unlikely for China to supply weapons to Russia.
“Beijing is keen on keeping its close economic partnership with the West. It will not offend its Western trading partners, including the US and the European Union,” Zhou said.
He said Blinken’s warning could be seen as a strategic deterrent to head off any possibility of supplying weapons.
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US president Joe Biden pledges more weapons for Ukraine on surprise visit to Kyiv
Blinken issued the caution during talks with top Chinese diplomat Wang Yi on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, saying there would be “serious consequences” if Beijing provided weapons.