China hits back at Nato over Russia accusations
China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi, has hit back at Nato’s “groundless accusations” that Beijing is helping Russia in its war on Ukraine.
He has also warned the Western alliance against stirring up confrontation.
Mr Wang’s comments, made in a call with his Dutch counterpart, came hours after leaders of Nato member states gathered in Washington DC and issued a declaration that mentioned the war.
They accused China of being a “decisive enabler” of Russia through its “large-scale support for Russia’s defence industrial base” in some of their harshest remarks yet about Beijing.
They called on China to stop “all material and political support” to Russia’s war effort such as the supply of dual-use materials, which are items that can be used for both civilian and military purposes.
Western states have previously accused Beijing of transferring drone and missile technology and satellite imagery to Moscow. The US estimates about 70% of the machine tools and 90% of the microelectronics Russia imports now come from China.
Beijing was also accused of conducting “malicious cyber and hybrid activities, including disinformation” on Nato states.
—BBC
