On Tuesday, September 10th, US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell stated that he had provided allies with detailed information about China’s “significant support” for Russia’s military industrial base and the impact of this support on the battlefield in Ukraine.
Since Monday, September 9th, Campbell has met with officials from Belgium, NATO, and the European Union, urging European partners to respond more decisively to the growing defense cooperation between China and Russia. The US hopes that European allies will not only express concern but also clearly state that they are prepared to take specific measures in response.
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, economic sanctions imposed by the West on Russia, including restrictions on the use of the SWIFT banking system, have raised concerns for both Russia and China that further sanctions may be forthcoming. Campbell suggested that if Europe could closely scrutinize certain financial institutions and make this clear, it could have a “significant impact” on China and Russia.
Campbell revealed that military cooperation between Russia and China has been strengthening, particularly in areas such as submarines, aviation design (including stealth technology), and missile capabilities.
Much of China’s support for Russia is conducted in secret. Campbell pointed out that Russia’s assistance to China in enhancing certain military capabilities will have “important, negative, and worrying implications” for other countries in the Indo-Pacific region.
Campbell’s latest disclosure comes two weeks after US National Security Advisor Sullivan’s first visit to Beijing, where he met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping and other senior officials.
The US, EU, and NATO partners are increasingly aligned in their policies towards China. Campbell stated, “There are some countries that may still be lagging and hold different views. But I believe that the overall trend of the EU and NATO is increasingly concerned about the actions taken against China (the CCP).”
These developments underscore the growing concerns about the implications of China’s support for Russia within the international community, and highlight the importance of coordinated responses to address the evolving security challenges in the region.