On Thursday, June 13, the US Department of State stated that the United States is considering further measures against Chinese companies supplying the Russian defense industry sector.
On Wednesday, the US Treasury Department announced sanctions on over 300 entities and individuals globally who provide semiconductors, IT technology products, and laser products to Russia, including several Chinese and Hong Kong suppliers and intermediaries. This move aims to further weaken Russia’s military equipment for the war against Ukraine.
According to Reuters, “We are considering taking further action.” US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller briefed reporters on the situation on Thursday.
“We hope that companies involved in rearming the Russian defense industry base, and strengthening the Russian defense industry base to rearm the Russian military… will see these actions and think twice,” he said.
On Wednesday, in addition to the Treasury Department’s measures, the US State Department also imposed sanctions on approximately 100 entities, including companies involved in the development of Russia’s future energy, metal, and mining production and export capabilities.
The US Department of Commerce also announced a series of restriction measures, prohibiting the export of US products to certain addresses in Hong Kong. The US claims these addresses are being used to set up shell companies to ship prohibited items like semiconductors to Russia. This move will impact nearly $100 million worth of high-priority projects in Russia, including chip projects.
Last month, US State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said, “The People’s Republic of China (Communist China) cannot have both fish and bear’s paw, they can’t have both. You can’t hope to build good, further, stronger, deeper relationships with Europe and other countries while continuing to exacerbate the greatest threat Europe has faced in a long time.”
The US accuses the Chinese Communist Party of providing dual-use military and civilian items to Russia for the production of rockets, drones, tanks, and other weapons. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a post-visit press conference in China, “Without China’s support, Russia would struggle to sustain its assault on Ukraine.”
On May 31, during a press conference in Prague, Blinken stated that 70% of the machine tools imported by Russia come from China, and 90% of microelectronic products also come from China.