US Warns China Against Arming Russian War Effort

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has warned China against arming Russia's war effort in Ukraine. US intelligence suggests that China is considering providing arms and ammunition to Russia, which would be the first time it has done so.

China-Russia military cooperation

China and Russia have deep military ties centering on arms sales and joint military exercises, but they have not formed a formal alliance. Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed a desire to strengthen military ties with China, and the two countries have agreed on further military cooperation with a focus on joint exercises and patrols. China and Russia have also set out to bring their growing defense ties to Africa.

China-Russia joint military exercises

China and Russia have held several joint military exercises in recent years, including Maritime Cooperation 2022 in the East China Sea, a joint naval exercise to “further deepen” cooperation between the two countries, Vostok exercises with Chinese troops traveling to Russia, large-scale military drills involving several allied nations, and joint naval drills in the East China Sea showcasing their increasingly close ties.