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US President Joe Biden press conference with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Biden said China had yet to send weapons to Russia for the war against Ukraine. Photo/REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
OTTAWA – United States President Joe Biden says he is sure China haven’t shipped weapons to Russia after President Vladimir Putin’s troops invaded Ukraine .
“I have been hearing for the past three months (that) China will provide significant weapons to Russia… They haven’t done that. Not that they won’t do it, but they haven’t,” he told a news conference Friday during a visit to Canada, as quoted by AFP, Saturday (25/3/2023).
“I don’t take China lightly. I don’t take Russia lightly,” he said, while also suggesting that reports of rapprochement between the two countries may be “exaggerated”.
By contrast, Biden stressed the strong ties among Western democracies, saying: “If anything happens, the West has come together in a significant way.”
He pointed to US security alliances in the Pacific region such as the Quad which also includes Australia, India and Japan and AUKUS with Australia and the UK.
During Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Moscow this week, Russia and Beijing praised the “special nature” of their relationship.
But while the Chinese leader promised a trade lifeline and some moral support, what is more striking is that he has not committed to providing arms to Russian troops currently fighting in Ukraine — a move that would invite Western sanctions against China if it did.
There is also no long-term commitment by China to buy large quantities of Russian gas that is no longer flowing to Europe.
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