(RightWing.org) – Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, economic sanctions have been one of the West’s main weapons against the rogue state. Russia is holding up better than expected, though. One reason for that is that some countries are ignoring the sanctions — and China is one of them.
Western Worries
From July 18-21, the Aspen Security Forum, a private national security think tank, held its annual conference in Aspen, Colorado. The conference attracts journalists, businessmen, experts and government officials from the US and its allies, and this year many of them wanted to talk about China.
On July 20, one of France’s most senior diplomats told journalists there’s evidence China is “doing things we would prefer them not to do.” Emmanuel Bonne, who is the top diplomatic adviser to President Emmanuel Macron, said France doesn’t think China is sending Vladimir Putin’s regime “massively military capacities,” but they do believe Beijing is delivering “kind of military equipment” — and Paris would prefer that to stop.
According to other French officials at the conference, there’s no evidence China has supplied lethal weaponry yet, but the communist regime is believed to have sent protective gear like helmets and body armor, as well as so-called “dual use” technology. Dual-use items have legitimate civilian uses but can also be repurposed as weaponry. A common dual-use item is the sort of processor chip that controls most modern appliances — but can also be used in a drone or guided weapon.
A member of the US National Security Council also told reporters they were worried about Chinese deliveries. They said the US is “vigilant” about what Beijing is sending and added that the administration is prepared to keep sanctioning businesses that break the sanctions — “whether they are based in the PRC or anywhere around the world.”
Is China Breaking Sanctions?
China and Russia have been enemies in the past, but over the last decade, they’ve been cooperating more closely with each other and rogue states like Iran. China has been reluctant to condemn Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, and there’s an obvious reason why. Over the last two years, Beijing has ramped up its own aggression towards Taiwan, and leader Xi Jinping has used increasingly strong rhetoric about seizing the island democracy.
If Russia gets away with conquering Ukraine, China could take that as a sign it can get away with invading Taiwan. For Beijing. the worst case is the West helps Taiwan resist an invasion — but, if that happens, it’s better for the communists if our arsenals have been depleted helping Ukraine. From China’s point of view, the more help they give Putin in Ukraine, the more likely it is they’ll manage to take Taiwan. The US and France are right to keep a close eye on what the communists are shipping to Putin.
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