According to ABC News, Burns voiced his concerns during a speech in Shanghai, China's financial epicenter, where he highlighted the severity of the crisis unfolding in Europe.
Burns pointed out that China, despite its professed neutrality, has been actively supporting Russia by supplying various technologies. He expressed his disapproval of the thousands of Chinese companies that are bolstering Russia's defense industrial base with technology components, microprocessors, and nitrocellulose for the brutal war. "We think it’s a major mistake to allow Chinese companies, by the thousands, to be sending so many components, technology components, microprocessors (and) nitrocellulose to Russia to reinforce and strengthen the defense industrial base of the Russian Federation for this brutal war," Burns stated.
The ambassador further emphasized that China's stance is far from neutral, as it has effectively sided with Russia in the war. This decision, he noted, contradicts China's long-held principle of "sovereignty and territorial integrity."
While China denies providing direct military aid to Russia, it has maintained strong trade relations throughout the conflict, including regular meetings between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping. China's significant purchases of Russian oil and gas have also provided a lifeline for Moscow's war economy, which is currently under international sanctions.
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In the period leading up to Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, China and Russia pledged an unbounded friendship. However, China has refrained from labeling the aggressive act as an invasion and has instead accused NATO of inciting Putin.
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Burns' remarks, which were made during a seminar on China-U.S. relations focusing on the life of the late career diplomat Henry Kissinger, have yet to elicit a response from China.
The relationship between Washington and Beijing remains strained due to trade disputes, territorial disagreements, and the issue of Taiwan, a self-governing island democracy. Despite the absence of formal diplomatic ties, the U.S. continues to maintain close political and military relations with Taiwan, much to Beijing's chagrin.
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China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory and threatens to annex it by force if necessary, has recently issued threats to "hardcore" supporters of the island's continued independence. However, it remains unclear how China intends to carry out these threats.
