US warns China against lethal aid to Russia

The United States has warned China against supplying Russia with weapons and other deadly aid for use in Ukraine.
State Department spokesman Ned Price said Washington would closely monitor Beijing’s diplomatic and economic support for Moscow.
“So far, we haven’t seen the PRC provide lethal assistance to Russia, but we don’t believe they’ve taken that possibility off the agenda, and we’re concerned,” Price said. . “We are very vigilant about possible violations.”
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken expressed concern to his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi over possible Chinese thoughts on material support for Russia when the two diplomats met on the sidelines of a security conference in Munich this weekend.
China already supports Russia in other ways, such as broadcasting propaganda messages from Moscow, Price said.
He noted that the United States had clearly warned Beijing of the real negative consequences for bilateral relations if China tried to tip the scales on the battlefield in favor of Russia.
Price said the United States would not hesitate to impose sanctions on Chinese companies. However, the State Department spokesperson did not specify what exactly the United States would do, noting that such a “fuzzy” approach is in the interests of the United States.
“The reputational cost that China bears is already very real as the rest of the world sees that, despite the veil of neutrality, self-proclaimed neutrality, China is already providing Russia with significant support,” he said. . “The rest of the world is watching this. We are monitoring very closely if the PRC decides to take this step to provide lethal assistance.