[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bo-kyung] The U.S. government has reportedly detected suspicious circumstances suggesting that Chinese state-owned enterprises provided support to Russia, which is at war with Ukraine, and has raised the issue with China.
On the 23rd (local time), Bloomberg News cited anonymous sources, reporting that the Joe Biden administration recently presented some evidence related to this matter and attempted to confirm whether the Chinese government was aware of such activities in advance.
Bloomberg explained that what was delivered from China to Russia was non-lethal military and economic support, and it was understood that this did not reach the level of fully circumventing the sanctions regime imposed by the U.S. and Western allies following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
U.S. officials reportedly stated, "The China-Russia relationship is extremely close, and there is agreement that China is supporting Russia more than before," Bloomberg reported.
Bloomberg added, "U.S. officials have gone so far as to warn Chinese officials about material support for the war, raising concerns surrounding the related flows."
However, these sources remained silent on the specific details of the circumstantial evidence obtained by the U.S. and the results of contacts with the Chinese side. The Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C. also did not respond to Bloomberg's related inquiries.
Among those familiar with the Biden administration's situation, there is an assessment that this movement by Chinese state-owned enterprises could be "deliberate support for Russia's war activities."
Bloomberg pointed out, "The Biden administration is reviewing accumulated evidence to assess the gravity of the matter," and "If it is confirmed that Chinese companies are aiding Russia's invasion, it will have a negative impact on U.S. policies toward Russia and China."
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