On Sunday, during the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Ukrainian President Zelensky issued a rare and strong condemnation against the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). He revealed that during a conversation with CCP leader Xi Jinping last year, Xi assured him that China would not provide military support to Russia, but intelligence shows otherwise.
At the summit held in Singapore, attended by defense ministers from various countries including the U.S. Secretary of Defense Austin and the Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe, Zelensky condemned the assistance the CCP is providing to Russia in the ongoing Ukraine conflict. He stated that Ukraine has evidence indicating that China is aiding Russia’s war efforts, despite Xi Jinping’s commitment over a year ago that Beijing would not interfere in the conflict.
“We did not anticipate that China would provide military support to Ukraine, we have never made any requests to them… but we also did not anticipate that China (CCP) would provide defense support to Russia,” Zelensky said. “This is the content of our discussions with the Chinese (CCP) leaders over the phone. He assured me that China would stay out of it and not provide weapons support to Russia. Now, there is intelligence suggesting that something has entered the Russian market from China… parts of Russian weapons equipment are coming from China.”
Zelensky also called on the CCP to maintain a consistent stance on the Russia-Ukraine issue.
Despite CCP’s public claims of neutrality in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the statement is increasingly being questioned. President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen told Reuters, “China (CCP) has clearly sided with Russia, signing an indefinite friendship agreement. So, they have shown a concrete stance.”
Recently, the U.S. and Europe have frequently accused the CCP of aiding Moscow by providing weapon components. They also condemned Beijing for supporting the Russian economy by purchasing significant amounts of Russian oil and natural gas, enabling Putin’s war machine to continue functioning.
U.S. Secretary of State Blinken stated clearly during a late April visit to Beijing that without CCP’s support, Russia would struggle to sustain its offensive against Ukraine.
He mentioned that CCP is the largest supplier of machinery, microelectronics, nitrocellulose (vital for ammunition and rocket propellants), and other dual-use products, which Moscow is utilizing to strengthen its defense industry, including the production of missiles, drones, tanks, and other weapons.
It is estimated that around 70% of machinery tools and 90% of microelectronic products imported by Russia come from China.
Earlier on Sunday, Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe stated that China does not provide weapons to either side of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. He also mentioned that China strictly controls the exports of dual-use technologies that can be used for both civilian and military purposes.
Wei Fenghe claimed that Beijing has never engaged in provocations.
According to reports, Wei Fenghe was scheduled to speak before Zelensky, but he appeared to be absent when Zelensky made his speech and called on countries to participate in the Ukraine Peace Summit in Switzerland.
This is not the first time CCP leader Xi Jinping has been accused of not keeping his word. Republican Senator Bill Hagerty warned in July 2021 that the CCP does not act rationally. He mentioned that Xi promised at the White House Rose Garden in 2015 to then U.S. President Obama that the South China Sea islands would not be militarized. However, “they are building artificial islands in the South China Sea.”
Mary Kissel, former senior adviser to ex-U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, warned the Biden administration in November 2023 that for over forty years, the CCP has been using hollow promises to secure real benefits.