China supplies weapons and body armor to Russia: report
Chinese companies, including at least one associated with Communist Party of Chinasent assault rifles, drone parts and combat units to Russia, according to a new report.
Data obtained by Politico indicates that these shipments to Russia took place between June and December 2022, much later. Russian President Vladimir Putin gave the order to invade Ukraine.
Chinese President Xi Jinping hopes that Afghanistan will expand China’s growing economic interests. (Photo by Thomas Peter/Reuters)
State defense contractor China North Industries Group Corporation Limited shipped CQ-A rifles to Russian company Techkrim in June 2022, according to customs. Although these rifles were labeled as “civilian hunting rifles”, they were reported to have been used by Chinese paramilitary police.
The data also showed that Chinese companies sent 12 batches of drone parts and more than 12 tons of body armor to Russian organizations.
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It is not clear from customs records that Beijing is sending these items to Russia specifically to aid its military operations in Ukraine, as the equipment may be labeled “dual-use.”
Fox News Digital contacted US Department of State for comments on recent events.
FILE: Chinese President Xi Jinping (right) and Russian President Vladimir Putin talk to each other during a meeting in Beijing, China February 20. 4, 2022. (Alexey Druzhinin, Sputnik, Kremlin pool, photo via AP)
Report This comes after officials said last month that the US was “confident” that China was considering providing deadly aid to Russia to support Moscow’s war against Ukraine.
The US and its NATO allies have repeatedly warned that any country, including China, will be subject to swift and severe economic sanctions if they are found to be aiding Russia’s war effort.
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Beijing has struggled to strike a balance between maintaining a constructive relationship with the West and blaming the US for “hysteria,” as Beijing did over the downed spy balloon, and blaming the US for escalating the war by providing defensive assistance to Ukraine.
Caitlin McFall of Fox News contributed to this report.