Geospatial intelligence and microelectronics. China increased its support for Russia in the war

The United States has warned allies that China has stepped up its support for Russia in its war against Ukraine. Now Beijing also provides the Kremlin with geospatial intelligence data, as well as microelectronics and equipment for tanks.

Bloomberg writes about it.

China provides the Russians with satellite images of military targets, optics, fuel to be used in missiles, machine tools for tanks, nitrocellulose, turbojet engines and other support for the Russian defense industry.

According to White House National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson, US President Joe Biden expressed concern to Chinese leader Xi Jinping in a phone call this week about such support for Russia.

Sources told Bloomberg on condition of anonymity that Chinese support for Russia has deepened in recent months. Therefore, the US and its allies will try to reduce this trend. US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken informed European allies about the extent of Chinaʼs support and asked them to take action against Chinese companies that help Russia.

China and Hong Kong have also become key "gateways" for the Kremlin to access technologies such as chips or integrated circuits needed for weapons. Despite US and European sanctions against several Chinese companies that allowed the supply of sanctioned technology, the volume of trade did not decrease.

• Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Russia, China has never once supported Ukraine. Beijing supported the Russian Federation and condemned the sanctions against it imposed by the West due to its armed aggression. Chinaʼs total trade with Russia reached a record high last year — $218 billion in the 11 months of 2023.