[Epoch Times, March 15, 2022](The Epoch Times reporter Xia Yu comprehensive report) The Financial Times reported on Monday (March 14) that the United States has told allies that Beijing has released a signal, according to officials familiar with US diplomatic cables. Willing to provide Russia with military assistance to support Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The State Department’s cables to allies in Europe and Asia did not say whether Beijing had hinted at helping Russia in the future, or whether it had begun providing military support, nor at what stage of the conflict Beijing appeared willing to help.
CNN reported on Monday that diplomatic cables did not specify that aid had been provided. One official also said the U.S. warned in the cable that Beijing could deny it was willing to provide aid.
Two people familiar with the matter told CNN that the assistance requested by Russia included prepackaged, non-perishable packages of military food, known in the United States as “ready meals,” or MREs. The request validates claims by military analysts and officials that Russia faces basic logistical challenges in Ukraine.
As the invasion progressed, Russian troops broke into grocery stores in search of food, open-source reports show. One of the sources told CNN that Beijing may be willing to meet Russia’s request for food because it has not provided lethal aid that the West sees as provocative.
One of the sources said the Chinese Communist Party leadership was not entirely aligned on how to respond to requests for Russian aid. Two officials said Beijing’s desire to avoid economic consequences could limit its willingness to help Russia.
“Some people are genuinely concerned that their involvement could damage Western economic relations with China on which it depends,” one of the sources told CNN.
Media outlets including the Financial Times, The Washington Post, Fox, CNN and others reported on Sunday (March 13) that Russia made a request for assistance from Beijing at some point after the invasion began.
The Chinese embassy in the United States said on Sunday it was not aware of any Russian demands or China’s positive response to Moscow. Russia on Monday also denied making any demands to China.
A senior U.S. defense official declined to say whether Beijing had provided military support following Russia’s request, but said the Pentagon was monitoring the situation “very, very closely,” the Financial Times reported.
“If China does choose to substantially support Russia in this war, then China is likely to be affected,” the defense official said.
The official added: “We’ve seen China basically acquiesce to what Russia is doing, refusing to join sanctions, accusing the West and the US of providing aid to Ukraine, (and) claiming they want to see a peaceful outcome, But basically nothing was done to make it (peace).”
U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan met with Yang Jiechi, China’s top foreign policy official, in Rome on Monday. Before leaving Washington on Sunday, Sullivan said he would warn China against trying to “bail out” Russia, including helping it survive harsh sanctions from the West.
“We’re going to make sure that neither China nor anyone else can compensate Russia for these losses,” Sullivan told NBC on Sunday. “I’m not going to make all of this public either, but we’re going to talk privately with NBC. China (CCP) communication.”
Ahead of the meeting between Sullivan and Yang Jiechi, the Biden administration last week asked European allies to send a message to Beijing that Beijing should not help Russia evade sanctions, the Financial Times reported, according to a European official.
The White House said on Monday that the talks between U.S. and Chinese officials will focus on the immediate impact of Russia’s war on Ukraine on regional and global security.
Senior Republican Senator Lindsey Graham told “Fox & Friends” on Monday that the United States needs to confront China as the war between Russia and Ukraine is going on.
“China (CCP) fully supports Russia. What I suggest we do, if China (CCP) helps to arm Russia and provide aid to circumvent international sanctions, we impose secondary sanctions on China – we will go after anyone who tries to support Putin. “He said.
Despite growing ties with Moscow, Beijing has sought to portray itself as a neutral player. But Chinese state media and diplomats have defended the Russian invasion, blaming the United States and NATO for the conflict.
“This (Sullivan and Yang Jiechi’s) meeting is not for negotiating any specific issue or outcome,” the source told the “politico” media. “This meeting is in the context of Russia’s unjust and brutal war against Ukraine. held, while China and Russia align themselves to advance their vision of the world order.”
The language reflects the U.S. government’s frustration with China’s apparent attempt to gain strategic advantage from the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Chinese media have also repeatedly repeated Russia’s unsubstantiated claims that the United States helped Ukraine build a biological weapons laboratory.
Biden administration officials say Beijing is spreading false Russian claims that Ukraine operates a chemical and biological weapons laboratory with U.S. support. The U.S. says China is actually providing cover if Russia continues to launch biological or chemical weapons attacks on Ukrainians.
Evan Medeiros, a Georgetown University China expert and former White House senior adviser on Asia, told the Financial Times that it would be “deeply concerning” if China were to transfer arms to Russia.
“This will be a game-changer for global geopolitics,” Medeiros said. “We risk going back to the era of the Sino-Soviet alliance of the 1950s. Ukraine could become the first proxy conflict in the new Cold War.”
Responsible editor: Li Huanyu#