The US and its allies have also been more blunt about confronting Chinese aggression in the South China Sea and against self-ruled Taiwan.

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China complained about what it viewed as anti-China rhetoric emanating from Biden’s talks this week with the leaders of Japan and the Philippines, prompting a denial from the White House.

Russian has likely used imported machine tools from China to increase its ballistic missile production, the officials said. They cited Dalian Machine Tool Group, one of China’s leading machine tool manufacturers, as one company supplying Russia.

In 2023, 90 per cent of Russia’s microelectronics imports came from China, which Russia has used to produce missiles, tanks and aircraft, the officials said.

They said that Chinese companies such as Wuhan Global Sensor Technology Co, Wuhan Tongsheng Technology Co Ltd and Hikvision were providing Chinese optical components for use in Russian systems, including tanks and armoured vehicles.

Russia has received military such optics made by Chinese firms iRay Technology and North China Research Institute of Electro-Optics manufacture, they said.

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China has also provided drone engines and turbojet engines for cruise missiles, and that Chinese and Russian entities have been working to jointly produce drones inside Russia.

Chinese companies are likely providing Russia with nitrocellulose to make propellants for weapons, helping Russia rapidly expand its capacity to make key munitions like artillery rounds, they added.

The US officials also said China was helping Russia improve its satellite and other space-based capabilities for use in Ukraine, increasing the Russian threat across Europe. And they said the US has information China is providing imagery to Russia for its war on Ukraine.

Reuters