U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will warn China about its support for Russia’s military during his visit to the country this week, according to a senior State Department official.
Blinken is expected to convey Washington’s “deep concerns” over China’s aid for Russia’s defense industrial base, during his three-day visit starting Wednesday.
“We’re prepared to take steps when we believe necessary against firms that … severely undermine security in both Ukraine and Europe,” the official told reporters ahead of Blinken’s trip.
“And I think we’ve demonstrated our willingness to do so regarding firms from a number of countries, not just China,” he added. “At any rate, again, I think this will be a key issue of discussion while we’re in Beijing.”
U.S. allies in Europe are concerned about the implications of Beijing’s support for Russia’s war in Ukraine and “what it means for European security in particular, and then, of course, it will be up to China to determine its next steps,” the official noted.
This will be Blinken’s second trip to China after a high-stakes diplomatic mission to cool U.S.-China tensions in June last year.
During his visit to Beijing and Shanghai, Blinken is expected to meet senior Chinese officials, including Foreign Minister Wang Yi, according to the State Department. It remains unclear if the Secretary of State will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping.
