New report reveals China’s secret alliance with Russia after claims of neutrality

Beijing did participate in peace talks, but has refused to call Russia’s ‘special military operation’ in Ukraine an ‘invasion’. This, alongside the fact that China and Russia share close economic ties, have had many unconvinced about China’s neutral position.

What the report exposes

The Telegraph has reported that China has been supplying Russian companies, including those that have been sanctioned, with goods since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine at the beginning of this year.

The goods are reportedly disguised, and in more ways than one. They are identified in a way that makes them seem innocent; they could just be for civilian use. They are allegedly referred to as ‘dual-use goods’, allowing China to get around international sanctions. In trading with Russia, China undermines Western efforts to weaken Putin’s attackby limiting Russia's access to supplies.

Drones disguised as toys

In one of the most surprising cases, 1000 drones were disguised as toys: they were sent by a Chinese company called Shantou Hoghu Plastics and received by a Russian one called Samson, both of which claim to be toy wholesalers.

Helicopters, turbojets and missile navigation systems

Some of the trade is not so subtle. After the war began, Chinese companies sent helicopters and optical sights to Russia. In a bid to circumvent sanctions, shipments of turbojets and missile navigation systems were bounced around via developing countries such as India before finishing up in Russia. These goods are harder to disguise as ‘dual-use’, and the complicated route they take hasn’t stopped investigators from discovering their eventual destination. The Telegraph also claims that Russia has been receiving increasingly large deliveries of raw materials from China that are needed in arms production.

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The Telegraph’s analysis is based on data from the Observatory of Economic Complexity and the open-source research site Molfar. The companies mentioned have been contacted to have their say but they are yet to comment. Many people were already suspicious of Russia and China’s close relationship, despite China’s professed neutrality when it comes to Ukraine, and this new information is simply adding fuel to the fire.

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Sources used:

The Telegraph:China helping to arm Russia with helicopters, drones and metals

zlive news: China Drops the Facade: Xi Greenlights Lethal Arms Supply to Russia