The United States is concerned that China is about to supply Russia with weapons for the war against Ukraine.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said this on Saturday evening after a meeting with Wang Yi, China’s top foreign policy official. The two spoke on the sidelines of a security conference in Munich. It was the first Sino-American summit after the US shot down a Chinese spy balloon.
“We have seen political and rhetorical support in recent years and even the delivery of non-lethal support,” said Blinken to the American news channel NBC. “But we are very concerned that China is also considering deadly aid [lethal support] supply to Russia.” Blinken did not say what the US bases its suspicion on. He told the American news channel CBS that it mainly concerns the supply of weapons.
The two of course also spoke about the balloon incident. “I have made it very clear that sending a spy balloon over the United States is a violation of our sovereignty, violates international law, is unacceptable and must never happen again,” Blinken said.
No apologies
The Chinese side, Blinken said, made no apologies. The Chinese balloon supposedly drifted off course, then ran into holes over US territory and was eventually brought down over the sea by US fighter jets.
China denied that it was a spy balloon. The incident immediately led to a further cooling of the already strained relationship between the two superpowers.
Chinese state media reported on the Munich conversation that Wang Yi Blinken has made it clear that the US needs to change course. Wang believes the US should repair the damage it has done to Sino-US relations.
China calls downing balloon ‘hysterical and absurd’
Wang Yi had called the downing of the balloon “hysterical and absurd” in Munich earlier in the day. “There are many balloons from different countries in the world. Do you want to shoot them all? It was not a sign of strength from the US. On the contrary. We call on the US to stop doing such ridiculous things to distract from domestic problems.”
Blinken also underlined the importance of regular direct contact between the two countries.