China reportedly provides Russia with drone equipment for their involvement in the Ukraine conflict.
There's been talk circulating for some time now about China possibly not only backing Russia politically but also supplying them with weapons for their actions in Ukraine. According to recent reports, there's supposedly concrete evidence to back this up. The main question is, is the Chinese government involved in this?
Insiders claim that Chinese businesses have covertly provided weapons to Russia. This is according to the British "Times". Such an action could potentially escalate the situation significantly in the eyes of the Chinese government. A new report suggests that a Chinese company shipped a batch of specialized military drones to Russia for testing. However, it's alleged that these drones were destined for Ukraine, according to the "Times". This activity is said to have taken place in 2023, as per a western official. He refrained from disclosing the Chinese company involved, but asserted that there's now "irrefutable evidence that Chinese companies are providing Russia with lethal weapons for use in Ukraine".
"The Chinese government may not want to admit it, but they'll find it challenging to cover up their growing support," the official added. It seems that it's believed that Beijing was part of the supply chain or at least was aware of it.
Recently, Reuters reported that Russia has established a weapons program in China to manufacture and deploy long-range attack drones for use in the war against Ukraine. This report was corroborated by the official.
Russia is already producing drones in China
IEMZ Kupol, a subsidiary of the Russian defense corporation Almaz-Antey, developed and tested a new drone model called Garpiya-3 (G3) with the aid of local experts in China, as demonstrated in one of the documents. IEMZ Kupol reported this development to the Russian Ministry of Defense this year. In an updated report, IEMZ Kupol informed the Russian Ministry of Defense that it could mass-produce drones, including the G3, in a Chinese factory. This could permit the weapons to be used in the "special military operation" in Ukraine - as Moscow refers to its invasion.
NATO declared that these two reports were "seriously concerning", and the allies would discuss the matter. "China has become a key facilitator of Russia's war in Ukraine through the provision of dual-use technologies. The Chinese government is responsible for ensuring that its companies do not provide deadly assistance to Russia. China cannot continue to fuel the most significant conflict in Europe since World War II without consequences for its interests and reputation," a NATO spokesperson added.
At the start of this month, the outgoing NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg already warned about the formation of an authoritarian power axis of China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. He stated that China was supplying the components, microelectronics, and microprocessors that Russia uses to construct the rockets and bombs used in Ukraine. Stoltenberg and western heads of state and government have thus far avoided directly accusing the Chinese government of supplying weapons to Russia.
China insists on stringent export controls
Fabian Hinz, a research associate at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, a think tank located in London, said that if the Chinese government was aware of the situation, it would represent "a new level of support for Russia's war efforts". "While China is known for supporting Russia with dual-use goods, we haven't seen evidence of entire systems being delivered," the "Times" quoted Hinz.
IEMZ Kupol and Almaz-Antey did not respond to the allegations leveled against them by Reuters. A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in the UK stated that they were unaware of the details mentioned. "China imposes rigorous export controls on drones and strictly regulates military and dual-use drones in accordance with the law and regulations."
The Commission will likely be involved in investigating the allegations of Chinese companies providing lethal weapons to Russia for use in Ukraine, as NATO has expressed concern and called on China to ensure its companies do not provide such assistance.
Given the evidence presented by NATO and other sources, The Commission may need to consider imposing sanctions or other measures against Chinese companies found to be violating international norms and aiding Russia's actions in Ukraine.
