The leaders of the most developed economies in the world cautioned on Friday that China’s assistance for Russia is “enabling” its war in Ukraine, taking a more aggressive stance against Beijing and threatening more sanctions against entities that financially support Moscow’s war machine.
The severe warning was delivered at the conclusion of the yearly Group of Seven (G7) meeting in Italy, and it coincides with US diplomatic efforts to persuade Europe to take a more assertive posture against China over the latter’s assistance to Russia’s military-industrial complex.
The G7 leaders stated in their communiqué on Friday that, “China’s ongoing support for Russia’s defense industrial base is enabling Russia to maintain its illegal war in Ukraine and has significant and broad-based security implications.”
“We call on China to cease the transfer of dual-use materials, including weapons components and equipment, that are inputs for Russia’s defense sector.”
The leaders also vowed to take additional measures, including as penalties, against Chinese companies they claim are assisting Russia in evading Western embargoes.
The joint statement promised to implement “restrictive measures to prevent abuse and restrict access to our financial systems” and stated, “We will continue taking measures against actors in China and third countries that materially support Russia’s war machine, including financial institutions, consistent with our legal systems, and other entities in China that facilitate Russia’s acquisition of items for its defense industrial base.”
Chinese supplies of semiconductors, materials, and machine tools, among other things, are allegedly assisting Moscow in increasing its manufacture of tanks, munitions, and armored vehicles, as US authorities have charged China of assisting Russia in growing its military industrial sector.
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Beijing has denied the accusation, claiming that it has tightened export controls on dual-use items and has not given weaponry to any side.
Penalties against Chinese companies have already been applied by the US and the EU, and last week the US put new penalties on Chinese companies that export semiconductors to Russia.
“China does not supply weapons, but the ability to produce those weapons and the technology available to do it,” US President Joe Biden stated at the summit on Thursday. “So it is, in fact, helping Russia.”
The G7 has also taken a more aggressive position against China’s economic policies, pledging to “level the playing field and remedy ongoing harm” by taking action against “unfair practices,” particularly with regard to the problem of industrial overcapacity.
Following a months-long study, the EU slapped further taxes on electric cars (EVs) imported from China the day before the summit. The EU views Beijing’s unfair support for businesses that undercut European automakers as the reason for the penalties.
