On Monday, December 2, the German Foreign Minister accused the Chinese Communist Party of providing combat drones to Russia, which is jeopardizing Europe. Before the EU may announce sanctions on this matter, she intensified her criticism towards both China and North Korea.
According to Bloomberg, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, during her visit to Beijing on Monday, told reporters, “Drones produced by Chinese factories and the involvement of North Korean troops in Central Europe have disrupted peace and harmed our core security interests in Europe.”
Earlier, she had a three-hour meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the Guesthouse of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beijing. She stated that the war in Russia “affects our deepest security interests and challenges the peace order in Europe.” She further added that the fact that North Korean troops are joining Russia indicates that the war is having an impact on Asia as well.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry stated last month, “We have never provided any weapons (to Russia), and we strictly control dual-use items, including the export of drones.” On Monday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry did not respond to requests for comments on whether Russia was using Chinese-made drones in Ukraine.
Prior to her visit to Beijing, Baerbock had stated, “China (the CCP) has not taken responsibility for world peace and security as a permanent member of the UN Security Council. Instead, through economic and military aid to Russia, it has harmed our core interests in Europe.”
Her statements on Monday come as the EU is trying to crack down on countries aiding Russia’s war efforts. In November, she had said that China’s increasing assistance to Moscow “will and must have consequences.”
The EU has proposed sanctions against several Chinese companies, alleging that these companies have been assisting Russian firms in developing attack drones targeting Ukraine. A German official told the media on Monday that the EU sanctions may be imposed in the coming weeks. He added that about 60% of Russian war supplies contain Chinese components, and nearly 20% of Russian combat drones are manufactured with Chinese assistance.
On Monday, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz arrived in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, to meet with President Zelensky. In a statement, Scholz announced his plan to deliver an additional €650 million ($683 million) worth of military equipment to Ukraine in December.
Cui Hongjian, a former Chinese diplomat teaching at Beijing Foreign Studies University, stated that Baerbock’s visit was not aimed at repairing relations with Beijing but rather exerting pressure.