While officially maintaining a stance of neutrality in the Ukraine conflict, China is increasingly under international scrutiny for its alleged support of Russian aggression. Recent developments suggest that Beijing is covertly leveraging the war for economic and political advantage, while simultaneously aiding Russia’s military efforts.
On July 9, Ukrainian authorities detained two Chinese nationals accused of attempting to transfer classified information to Chinese intelligence. According to Ukrainian officials, the individuals had recruited a Ukrainian citizen with access to sensitive defense technologies, including data related to the Neptune missile system.
In response, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson stated on July 10 that Beijing was “verifying” the information provided by Ukraine. The spokesperson added that if Chinese citizens were involved, their “lawful rights of Chinese citizens need to be safeguarded.”
These developments followed a July 8 Bloomberg investigation revealing a covert collaboration between the Russian drone manufacturer Aero-HIT, currently under international sanctions, and the Chinese company Autel Robotics. According to the report, the two firms have been in negotiations since 2023 with the goal of manufacturing 10,000 drones annually in Russia.
That same day, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky imposed sanctions on five Chinese companies: Central Asia Silk Road International Trade, Suzhou Ecod Precision Manufacturing, Shenzhen Royo Technology, Shenzhen Jinduobang Technology, and Ningbo BLIN Machinery. These firms were found to be supplying components to Russian entities for drone production. Some of these parts were reportedly discovered in Shahed drones used by Russia in airstrikes on Kyiv on July 4.
Since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, numerous reports have emerged alleging that Chinese companies and nationals are aiding Moscow’s war effort. Despite this, Beijing continues to deny any involvement, insisting it remains a neutral party. However, on July 4, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with European Union representative Kaya Kallas and reportedly declared that a Russian defeat in the conflict would be unacceptable to Beijing. Accounts of the meeting confirm that China is making every effort to prevent such an outcome.
