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SECRETARY BLINKEN: We’re also working to strengthen efforts to disrupt the transfer of weapons, and also inputs for Russia’s defense industrial base. When it comes to weapons, what we’ve seen, of course, is North Korea and Iran primarily providing things to Russia. But when it comes to Russia’s defense industrial base, the primary contributor in this moment to that is China. We see China sharing machine tools, semiconductors, other dual-use items that have helped Russia rebuild the defense industrial base that sanctions and export controls had done so much to degrade. Now, if China purports on the one hand to want good relations with Europe and other countries, it can’t on the other hand be fueling what is the biggest threat to European security since the end of the Cold War. And you don’t have to just take that from me – this is what I heard around the table at the G7.
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SECRETARY BLINKEN: Finally, we focused intensely over these last couple of days on reaching out to new partners, and this includes in the Indo-Pacific, where we’re working to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific. Here, I think it’s very instructive that the support that Russia’s received from China, from North Korea, from Iran demonstrates that security in Europe, security in Asia, and other parts of the world are indivisible. They’re deeply connected. And this is something, again, that we heard around the table over these last couple of days.
The G7 is united on the need for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, the South China Sea, the Korean Peninsula, and also united in standing up to China’s unfair and non-market practices, especially when it comes to overcapacity that is flooding the markets of our own countries with new products and technologies that are heavily subsidized and so underpriced, driving our own businesses out of the market and seeking to dominate these markets themselves. Again, this is a very clear common concern among all of our countries.
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QUESTION: Thank you very much. Mr. Secretary, there is a lot to ask you about today, so with your indulgence – first, on Israel’s strikes in Iran, was the U.S. indeed alerted in advance, how far ahead of time, and did it raise any objections when it was? Are the strikes now over, and do you have any indication at this early stage via direct or indirect messaging that Iran will respond? And have there been any changes in Iran’s nuclear program?
On Israel, there are reports that your department has made recommendations to cut military aid to certain Israeli units for possible human rights violations in the West Bank, before October 7th. Will you take action on those recommendations?
And finally, on the recent U.S. assessments you mentioned that China may be growing its support for Russia for its war effort in Ukraine, do you believe that President Xi is sensing an opportunity amid flagging U.S. support to the Ukrainians?
Thank you, sir.
SECRETARY BLINKEN: Great. Thanks, Olivia. On the first question, the reports that you’ve seen, I’m not going to speak to that, except to say that the United States has not been involved in any offensive operations. What we’re focused on, what the G7 is focused on – and again, it’s reflected in our statement and in our conversation – is our work to de-escalate tensions, to de-escalate from any potential conflict. You saw Israel on the receiving end of an unprecedented attack, but our focus has been on, of course, making sure that Israel can effectively defend itself, but also de-escalating tensions, avoiding conflict. And that remains our focus.
QUESTION: (Off-mike.)
SECRETARY BLINKEN: Again, I’m not going to speak to anything other than to say we were not involved in any offensive operations.
With regard to the other questions, first, on China and Russia – look, I think that what we’re seeing is a product of the relationship between those two countries. You’ve heard them speak to it, including just before Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. We’ve made very clear to China – and many other countries have as well – that they should not be supplying Russia with weapons for use in its aggression against Ukraine. We’ve not seen the direct supply of weapons, but as I said, what we have seen is not only the direct supply but the critical supply of inputs, of components for Russia’s defense industrial base, which is allowing two things: It’s allowing Russia to continue the aggression against Ukraine. It’s also helping Russia overall rebuild its defense forces and defense capacity that so much damage has been done to by the Ukrainians, but also by our sanctions and export controls. And that means that not only is Russia a current threat to Ukraine – it will remain an enduring threat to other European countries.
And that’s why I said China can’t have it both ways. It can’t purport to want to have positive, friendly relations with countries in Europe and at the same time be fueling the biggest threat to European security since the end of the Cold War. That was very clear from our conversations around the table. I believe Europeans have expressed that and will continue to express that clearly to China in the days and weeks ahead.
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Source: U.S. Department of State
Speaker: Antony J. Blinken, U.S. Secretary of State
Format: Press Conference
China Policy Research 