Blinken warns Chinese companies of sanctions for supporting Russian defense industry

WASHINGTON. May 15 (Interfax) - The United States has imposed over 100 sanctions on Chinese companies for providing support to the Russian defense industry, and will continue doing that if China does not stop this activity, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.

"We have already levied something like more than a hundred of sanctions against enterprises that are involved in this kind of support, and as necessary, we are going to continue to do that," Blinken said at a press conference with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba which was broadcast by the U.S. Department of State.

"We have and we will continue to take action, including sanctioning entities involved, companies involved," Blinken said.

While visiting China at the end of April, Blinken warned that the U.S. would impose sanctions on over 100 Chinese entities and individuals unless they stopped supporting Russian defense companies. Blinken said he raised the issue at his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping and at his talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said previously that China is helping Russia develop its defense industry, including by supplying it with dual-purpose goods. Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin said in comments that Stoltenberg's allegations that China shared technology and equipment used in the defense sector with Russia were untrue.