European Union members have observed an uptick in China’s support for Russia, multiple sources said, as Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine prepares to drag into its fourth year.
Officials are parsing evidence of an increase in battlefield weapons being shipped from China to Russia, to add to the well-documented flow of goods with dual civilian and military uses between the two states.
“We note that 80 per cent of critical dual-use goods come to Russia either through or from China. They claim to be neutral and to provide no weapons – this is only partly true,” said one senior European official.
China claims not to have taken sides in the conflict and insists on its right to conduct regular trade with Russia. But in much of Europe, it is widely seen as having sided with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a factor that has led to a sharp deterioration in Beijing’s relations with the EU.
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The Europe-China trade relationship: deficits, disputes and de-risking
The Europe-China trade relationship: deficits, disputes and de-risking
A diplomatic source said that the bloc “sees Chinese support increasing”, despite intensified diplomacy between EU member states and China, during which national leaders and ministers have urged Beijing to wind down its support for Russia.
