Dem Sen., Biden Co-Chair Coons: China Only Buying Russian Oil, Providing Some Equipment Shows Biden’s Leadership

On Thursday’s broadcast of MSNBC’s “Andrea Mitchell Reports,” Biden Campaign Co-Chair Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) commented on a report from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence that China is increasing its help to Russia in its war against Ukraine by acknowledging that China is “purchasing huge amounts of Russian oil and gas. They are providing dual-use equipment.” And that “this is another example of how President Biden and his administration [have] led on Ukraine” because China hasn’t provided offensive military equipment to Russia or direct financial support.

Host Andrea Mitchelle said, “[N]ow there’s a new report from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. And that report just today, an unclassified version of what you’ve probably already seen in more detail, is that, yes, China is leaning forward and doing more to help Russia in Ukraine, not crossing that red line, I’m told, yet, of military aid, but dual-use aid and that government-supported companies are supporting different kinds of technology.”

Coons responded, “That’s right, Andrea. The PRC is staying on the sidelines for now in terms of providing critical military equipment and financial support to Russia. But they are purchasing huge amounts of Russian oil and gas. They are providing dual-use equipment. So, for example, selling helmets and body armor that clearly [have] no civilian use, but is not an offensive weapon. I think this is another example of how President Biden and his administration [have] led on Ukraine. They proactively released intelligence that showed that Xi Jinping and the PRC were on the verge of coming into this conflict in Ukraine by supporting Russia with offensive weapons. After that was released and after an exchange of views between the United States, our administration and Xi Jinping, they backed off of that and have so far not done it. … So, it’s my hope, given this report today, that China’s leadership, Xi Jinping, will reconsider their support for Putin’s aggression in Ukraine and for Putin’s use of hunger as a weapon of war.”

Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett