China’s support for Russia is “facilitating” its war in Ukraine, the leaders of the world’s most advanced economies warned on Friday (14), hardening their tone against Beijing and threatening new sanctions against actors who materially support the war machine from Moscow.
The stark warning, issued at the end of the annual Group of Seven (G7) summit in Italy, comes as the United States steps up diplomatic efforts to convince Europe to take a tougher stance toward China over its role in helping the complex. military-industrial of Russia.
“China’s continued support for Russia’s defense industrial base is enabling Russia to maintain its illegal war in Ukraine and has significant and far-reaching security implications,” the G7 leaders said in Friday’s statement.
“We call on China to cease the transfer of dual-use materials, including weapons components and equipment, which are inputs to Russia’s defense sector.”
The leaders also threatened further action, including sanctions, to punish Chinese entities they say are helping Russia circumvent Western embargoes.
“We will continue to take action against actors in China and third countries that materially support Russia’s war machine, including financial institutions, in accordance with our legal systems, and other entities in China that facilitate the acquisition of items for the defense industrial base of Russia,” the joint statement said, promising to impose “restrictive measures to prevent abuse and restrict access to our financial systems.”
American officials have accused China of helping Russia expand military manufacturing, including through exports such as semiconductors, materials and machine tools, which they say are allowing Moscow to increase production of tanks, ammunition and armored vehicles.
Beijing refuted the accusation, saying it did not supply weapons to either side and maintains strict export controls on dual-use goods.
The US and European Union have already imposed sanctions on Chinese companies, and this week, the US imposed new sanctions on China-based companies that supply semiconductors to Russia.
“China does not supply weapons, but the ability to produce those weapons and the technology available to do so,” said US President Joe Biden at the summit on Thursday (13). “So, in fact, it is helping Russia.”
The G7 is also taking a tougher stance on China’s economic policies, especially on the issue of industrial overcapacity, promising to take action against “unfair practices” to “level the playing field and remedy ongoing harms.”
“We express our concerns about China’s persistent industrial focus and its pervasive non-market policies and practices that are leading to global spillovers, market distortions and harmful overcapacity across a growing range of sectors, undermining our workers, industries and resilience and security economic,” the joint statement said.
The day before the summit, the EU announced additional tariffs on electric vehicles (EV) imported from China following a months-long investigation into what it sees as Beijing’s unfair support for companies that undermine European carmakers.
Last month, the US also imposed new tariffs on US$18 billion in Chinese imports in several sectors considered strategic to national security – including electric vehicles and clean energy products.
The G7 has also expressed strong opposition to what it says are China’s unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion in the East and South China Seas.
“We continue to oppose China’s dangerous use of coast guard and maritime militia in the South China Sea and its repeated obstruction of countries’ freedom of navigation on the high seas,” the joint statement said.
“We express serious concern about the increased use of dangerous maneuvers and water cannons against Philippine vessels.”
Source: CNN Brasil
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