During his visit to Beijing, Blinken pressures China to reduce its support for Russia

China – A senior American official confirmed to reporters that the United States is ready to take action once morest Chinese companies that support Russia in its war on Ukraine, highlighting an issue that Secretary of State Anthony Blinken will raise during his visit to China this week.

Blinken’s trip, which lasts from Wednesday to Friday, represents a further decline in the political and trade clash with China, which reached its peak during the era of former President Donald Trump, especially since the latter pledged to take a tough stance once more if he returns to the White House next November.

The American official said before announcing the trip, “We are in a different situation than we were a year ago when bilateral relations were at their lowest levels historically.”

“We set out to stabilize bilateral relations without sacrificing our ability to strengthen our alliances, compete vigorously, and defend our interests,” he added on condition of anonymity.

“We are ready to take steps when we deem them necessary once morest companies that severely undermine security in both Ukraine and Europe,” he said when asked regarding the leverage Washington has to persuade Beijing to stop aiding the Russian war effort.

American officials say that China has stopped providing Moscow with direct military aid, but is providing it with dual-use supplies that have allowed Russia to reorganize its ranks.

“If, on the one hand, China claims that it wants good relations with Europe and other countries, on the other hand, it cannot fuel what is considered the greatest threat to European security since the end of the Cold War,” Blinken said – yesterday, Friday – following the end of the G7 talks in Capri, Italy.

According to the US official, Blinken will also discuss during the visit the situation in the Middle East, China’s “provocative practices” in the South China Sea, the crisis in Myanmar, and North Korea’s “threatening rhetoric and reckless actions.”

It is noteworthy that relations between China and the United States deteriorated to the lowest level ever following the latter shot down over its territory – in February last year – what was suspected to be a Chinese spy balloon, although Beijing repeatedly confirmed that it was a civilian one that had gone off course and was being used for research purposes, especially meteorology.