Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang drew comparisons on March 7 between hypothetical Chinese military aid for Russia to U.S. weapons sales to Taiwan, CNN reported on March 7.
“Why does the US ask China not to provide weapons to Russia while it keeps selling arms to Taiwan?” the minister, as quoted by CNN, asked during a news conference.
U.S. officials have repeatedly voiced their concerns in recent weeks about the possibility of China providing military aid to Russia.
National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told CNN on Feb. 26 that there would be "real costs" for China if they chose to proceed with such a move.
"From our perspective, this war presents real complications for Beijing. And Beijing will have to make its own decisions about how it proceeds, whether it provides military assistance," Sullivan said. "But, if it goes down that road, it will come at real costs to China."
Reuters reported on March 2 that the United States is reaching out to close allies about the possibility of coordinating sanctions against China if the country provides lethal aid to Russia for its war in Ukraine, citing four unnamed U.S. officials and other sources.
China's peace plan for ending the war in Ukraine, which it released on the one-year anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion, drew widespread criticism from Western leaders. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz noted that it did not explicitly include the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukrainian territory.
The statement also urged abandoning “the Cold War mentality” and “stopping unilateral sanctions,” rhetoric frequently used by Beijing to criticize the West’s response to Russia’s war.
During the news conference on March 7, China's foreign minister stressed the "importance" of continued China-Russia relations, according to CNN.
"The more unstable the world becomes, the more imperative it is for China and Russia to steadily advance their relations," Qin Gang said.
