Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian. Photo: China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs

China firmly opposes US' baseless allegations of China supporting Russia's defense industry, as Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian on Thursday highlighted the lack of evidence and the hypocrisy of US actions, calling for real efforts toward peace instead of endless blame-shifting.

While participating in a public forum at the NATO summit on Wednesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken claimed that there had been massive buildup of Russian weaponry over the last year and a half, which is the product of the country's defense industrial base "being fueled by China."

In response, Lin said at a regular press conference on Thursday that China has made its position clear many times. "We resolutely oppose the US, in the absence of any evidence, continuing to circulate the disinformation of the so-called Chinese support for Russia's defense industry."

Lin said that at the beginning of the Ukraine crisis, the US spread rumors that China was providing military support to Russia, without presenting any substantial evidence, but US military leaders later admitted that China had not sent military aid to Russia during the conflict.

In fact, some figures show that more than 60 percent of Russia's imported weapon components and dual-use items are from the US and the West, while 95 percent of key components in the Russian equipment destroyed by the Ukrainian troops came from the Russian-made weapons, and 72 percent of Western components used in Russian weapons were from US companies, Lin said.

China has also noted that the US and its allies have so far not halted trade with Russia, with the trade volume amounting to more than $130 billion last year, accounting for 18 percent of Russia's foreign trade, according to Lin.

Most countries are not involved in sanctions or attempts at disruptions targeting Russia, and China cannot be blamed for issues relating to US trade with Russia, Lin added.
The US continues to provide massive volumes of aid to Ukraine while unjustifiably accusing China and Russia of normal economic and trade exchanges, which is a blatantly hypocritical double standard, the spokesperson said.

The US habitually disguises itself as the so-called messenger of justice, the guardian of human rights and the world's policeman, but all it does is adding fuel to fires, provoking chaos and triggering war and confrontation, Lin said.

Lin reiterated that China is neither a creator of nor a party to the Ukraine crisis, while adding that China has not stood by and watched with folded arms, having proactively called for peace and advanced talks to facilitate a political resolution.

Lin voiced that China has never added fuel to fires to take advantage of the situation, and that China will never provide weapons to any party to the conflict.

Chinese companies, in accordance with World Trade Organization (WTO) rules and market principles, carry out reasonable economic and trade cooperation with all countries in the world, including Russia and Ukraine, and it is not the role of some countries to dictate what is right and proper, Lin said.

Instead of pulling the strings in the conflict, the US should reflect on the root causes of the crisis and do practical work for the genuine peace, he said.

Lin stressed that China will not be bullied by the US into paying bill for Washington's own wrongdoings, and that China will never accept the US abdicating responsibility for its own actions. 

China will continue to take resolute and firm measures to safeguard its legitimate and lawful rights, Lin said.

Global Times