The European Union (EU) has officially confirmed allegations that the Chinese military has been training Russian troops for the Ukraine war, intensifying EU pressure on China regarding the conflict.
On June 15, following a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg, Josep Borrell, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs, stated, "Reports that the Chinese military has been training Russian soldiers who will be deployed in the Ukraine war have been confirmed as true. We are carefully assessing the implications of this information." However, Borrell did not disclose specific details or sources.
Previously, Reuters reported, citing European intelligence sources, that the Chinese military secretly trained about 200 Russian soldiers in China at the end of last year, some of whom later returned to the battlefield in Ukraine. The training reportedly focused on drone operations and was conducted under an agreement signed by senior military officials from Russia and China in July of the previous year in Beijing.
China has maintained that it is neutral regarding Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The Chinese Foreign Ministry has previously denied allegations, claiming they are attempts to shift the blame for the Ukraine war onto China.
However, both the EU and the United States believe that China has been providing Russia with economic support and dual-use technologies, including drone components that could be used for military purposes. Chinese companies are already subject to sanctions from the U.S. and the EU.
On the same day, the EU added two mainland Chinese manufacturers and two shipping companies based in Hong Kong to its sanctions list. Shenzhen Minghua New Materials and Xinxiang Richful Lube Additives are accused of supplying drone components and chemical additives for lubricants to the Russian military. Hong Kong shipping companies Glory Shipping HK Limited and Nord Axis are included for allegedly supporting the export of Russian crude oil.
Allegations of Chinese support for Russia have been a significant factor in deteriorating EU-China relations since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Additionally, concerns over China's large trade surplus and industrial overcapacity have led to increased calls within Brussels for further restrictions on China.
EU leaders are set to discuss China's industrial overcapacity issues on June 18. Valdis Dombrovskis, the EU's trade commissioner, is also expected to meet with Wang Wentao, China's Minister of Commerce, later this month in Brussels to discuss trade imbalances and strategies for addressing challenges posed by China.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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