The information given by the American site Politico comes as Chinese President Xi Jinping announces that he will travel to Moscow next week to meet his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, his first official visit to Russia since the invasion of Ukraine.
This is the first time that it can be confirmed that China sends weapons, such as rifles, ballistic equipment – bulletproof vests – to Russian companies, although it is however impossible to prove that it is concretely a question of supporting the Russian war effort.
Beijing also continues to send previously undeclared drones, drone parts and “dual-use” equipment, i.e. commercial items that could also be used on the battlefield in Ukraine.
No exposure of China to Western retaliation
The sale of dual-use items allows China to increase its aid to Moscow without suffering reprisals from Western countries. US and European leaders have warned Beijing against supporting Russia’s military efforts in Ukraine.
A few weeks ago, they had warned that China was considering sending weapons to the Russian military, which could potentially change the nature of the fighting on the ground in Ukraine.
The Chinese Embassy in Washington said in a statement that Beijing is committed to promoting peace talks in Ukraine. The embassy spokesman said that “China was not the cause of the crisis and it did not supply arms to any of the parties to the conflict”.
