‘Groundless’: China rejects Zelenskyy’s claim of it supplying weapons to Russia | World News

China Friday dismissed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s accusation that it is supplying weapons to Russia, terming the claims as “groundless” during a press briefing in Beijing.
Responding to Zelenskyy’s assertion that China had been providing Russia with gunpowder and artillery, and that Chinese personnel were involved in arms production within Russian territory, Chinese foreign minry spokesperson Lin Jian insed that China had “never made lethal weapons available to any party in the Ukraine crisis”.
“China’s position on the Ukrainian issue has always been clear,” Lin said. “It has been actively committed to promoting a ceasefire and ending the conflict, as well as encouraging peace talks.”
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Zelenskyy made the accusation during a press conference on Thursday, saying Ukraine had obtained evidence of China’s alleged involvement and could release further details in the coming week.
“We see the cooperation between these two countries in this area, and we must acknowledge it is happening,” he said.
China has long maintained it is a neutral party in the Russia-Ukraine war, despite deepening ties between President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Tensions over China’s role in the conflict have been rising. Last week, Ukrainian forces captured two Chinese nationals fighting alongside Russian troops. Zelenskyy claimed they were among at least 155 Chinese citizens serving in the Russian military, accusing Moscow of running a “systemic” campaign to recruit fighters from China—allegedly with Beijing’s tacit approval.Story continues below this ad
He accused China of “turning a blind eye” to the recruitment efforts, which he said were taking place via social media and other platforms.
Beijing has rejected those claims as well, insing the individuals had travelled independently and reiterating its warning to Chinese citizens to avoid conflict zones.
“I would like to reiterate that China is not the initiator of the Ukrainian crisis, nor is China a participating party,” Lin said last week. “We are a firm supporter and active promoter of a peaceful settlement of the crisis.”
Sanctions
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian government on Friday published an updated l of sanctioned entities, which included several Russian firms as well as three Chinese companies: Beijing Aviation and Aerospace Xianghui Technology Co. Ltd, Rui Jin Machinery Co. Ltd, and Zhongfu Shenying Carbon Fiber Xining Co. Ltd. All are described as being regered in China.Story continues below this ad
No specific reasons were provided for the inclusion of the companies on the sanctions l. However, the designation bars them from conducting business in Ukraine and freezes any assets they may hold in the country.
Trade between the two countries remains significant. In 2021, Ukraine exported $8 billion worth of goods to China, mostly raw materials and agricultural products, while imports from China totalled nearly $11 billion, largely in the form of manufactured goods, according to Ukrainian government data.