Blinken warns China against aiding Russia in Ukraine
United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken has warned China against providing 'lethal support' for Russia's invasion of Ukraine and condemned the violation of US airspace by an alleged Chinese spying balloon as he held rare talks with Beijing's top diplomat, Wang Yi.
The meeting of the two senior officials happened late on Saturday on the sidelines of a global security conference in Munich, Germany, just hours after Wang scolded Washington as 'hysterical' in a running dispute over the US’s downing of the suspected Chinese spy balloon.
Relations between the two nations have been fraught since Washington said China flew a spy balloon over the country before US F-16 fighter jets shot it down on President Joe Biden's orders. The dispute also came at a time when the West is closely watching Beijing’s response to the Ukraine war.
In an interview to be aired on Sunday morning on NBC News;s 'Meet the Press with Chuck Todd,' Blinken said the United States was very concerned that China is considering providing lethal support to Russia and that he made clear to Wang that 'would have serious consequences in our relationship'.
'There are various kinds of lethal assistance that they are at least contemplating providing, to include weapons,' Antony Blinken said, adding that Washington would soon release more details.
Earlier, speaking at a panel at the conference, Wang Yi reiterated a call for dialogue and suggested European countries 'think calmly' about how to end the war.
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