U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has warned China against any further incursions into Ukrainian airspace, claiming that the Chinese government is considering providing “lethal support” to aid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The warning came during a face-to-face meeting between Blinken and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, the first since a Chinese spy balloon was shot down by Ukrainian forces in January.
At the meeting, Blinken said that China “strongly considering” providing Russia with “lethal assistance” and that such an action “must never happen again.”
The two diplomats also discussed a range of issues, including the South China Sea, economic relations, and human rights.
The meeting comes amid heightened tensions between the two countries, with the U.S. imposing sanctions on China for its human rights abuses in Xinjiang, and China retaliating with sanctions of its own.
The U.S. and China have been at loggerheads over a number of issues, including trade, technology, and human rights, and the meeting between Blinken and Wang Yi is seen as a potential step towards improving relations.