US says China is giving "material support" to Russia's war in Ukraine -- China Boss update 1.27.22

Update

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What happened.

“The Biden administration has recently raised concerns with China about evidence it has suggesting that Chinese companies have sold non-lethal equipment to Russia for use in Ukraine” CNN last week reported. Chinese companies have transacted with Russia in military supplies like "flak jackets and helmets," but not "the more robust military assistance that Russia has requested," it said.

CNN:

The equipment transfers are "concerning," one of the US officials said, but at this stage, it's not clear to Washington whether the central government is aware of it. Although state-owned enterprises dominate China's economy, not all are subject to day-to-day oversight.

Some US officials believe that the Chinese government knows about the equipment transfers and should take steps to upend them, the second official said.

Bloomberg’s Daniel J Ten Kate said although the specific details of Chinese state-owned firms support of Russia's military have been described by US officials as "non-lethal," the Biden administration is concerned that support given is tantamount to “material.” Kate added that US officials “only said that it consists of non-lethal military and economic assistance that basically falls under the radar of wholesale evasion of the sanctions that the U.S. and its allies have placed on [Russia.]”

Why it matters.

“Material support” for Russia’s war is sanctionable