According to unnamed U.S. officials, President Joe Biden raised the issue with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in a recent phone call. The subject was also discussed with U.S. allies in Europe and around the world.
An official said Chinese materials are filling critical gaps in the Russian defense production cycle, aiding Moscow in conducting "most ambitious defense expansion since the Soviet era and on a faster timeline than we believed possible early on in this conflict."
“Our view is that one of the most game-changing moves available to us at this time to support Ukraine is to persuade China to stop helping Russia reconstitute its military industrial base,” one source told the journalists.
“Russia would struggle to sustain its war effort without China’s input.”
Some information provided by officials at a briefing with journalists was based on declassified U.S. intelligence.
Officials said the Russians likely used imported machinery from China to increase production of ballistic missiles. They identified Dalian Machine Tool Group, one of China's leading machinery manufacturers, as a key supplier to Russia.
It's reported that in 2023, 90% of Russia's microelectronics imports came from China, which Russia uses in manufacturing missiles, tanks, and aircraft.
Officials also claimed that China provided Russia with drone engines and turbojet engines for cruise missiles, and that Chinese and Russian enterprises were collaborating on drone production inside Russia.
Chinese companies are likely supplying Russia with nitrocellulose for weapon fuel production, helping Russia rapidly expand its capabilities for manufacturing key ammunition such as artillery shells, they added.
U.S. officials also stated that China is aiding Russia in enhancing its satellite and other space capabilities for use in Ukraine, increasing the Russian threat looming over Europe.