Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen says Beijing can't expect "business as usual" if it's providing military aid to Moscow. Photo: dpa
South China Morning Post: European Union foreign ministers have warned China that there will be "consequences" if it is proven to be producing military-grade drones to be used in Russia's war on Ukraine.
Top diplomats from the bloc's 27 members are discussing on Monday evidence from intelligence sources showing that armed drones are being produced for the Russian military in China's far western Xinjiang region.
Several diplomatic sources described the intelligence as "conclusive", "convincing" and "credible" on Friday.
"We say clearly to supporters of this brutal war of aggression on Ukraine: it concerns our own core security interests ... we're introducing further sanctions on Iran and also making this clear with regard to Chinese drone aid, because this too must and will have consequences," said German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock upon arriving at the ministers' meeting in Brussels on Monday.
China's foreign ministry strongly denied the reports. At a press conference in Beijing on Monday, spokesman Lin Jian pointed to the country's "strict controls" on the export of military drones.
"We have never offered lethal weapons to any parties concerned ... we hope people will not make presumptions concerning China without presenting any evidence based on facts," Lin said.
At Monday's meeting, ministers will discuss the intelligence at hand, but also the potential repercussions for China if it is found to be legitimate. It comes as the inflow of thousands of North Korean troops to locations close to the Ukraine border threatens to broaden the scope of the war, launched by a Russian invasion in February 2022.
Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen described Pyongyang's intervention as "the most serious escalation in this war in the past two years", and warned that Beijing could not expect normal ties with Europe if it is providing military aid to Moscow.
"Essentially when it comes to China it can't be business as usual when it comes to our trade, if China in such an essential manner is hampering European security and the security architecture," Valtonen said.
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