Representative John Garamendi, a California Democrat, warned that MAGA Republicans withholding Ukraine aid would send a dangerous message to China.
Representative John Garamendi, a California Democrat, warned on Saturday that China allying with Russia amid the Ukraine war would mean Beijing is going «to bed with a loser.»
China, one of the world’s largest economies and a growing influence in the Indo-Pacific, is facing pressure when it comes to the Ukraine war. Chinese President Xi Jinping has publicly supported Russian President Vladimir Putin, making him one of Moscow’s most powerful global allies, but has so far resisted providing material aid to Russia. Western countries including the United States, who are key Chinese trading partners, have backed Ukraine, and Chinese support for Russia would threaten to disrupt trade.
However, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said this week that intelligence suggests China is «strongly considering providing lethal assistance to Russia» as the Ukraine war crossed its one-year mark on Friday. This milestone passed as Russia continues to struggle to achieve substantial gains against the war-torn country, despite the vast size of its military and powerful arsenal.
Garamendi warned China against backing Russia during an appearance on NBC News on Saturday.
As China considers whether to provide substantial military aid to Russia, it is likely considering the amount of military aid provided by the West to Ukraine, as well as the potential impacts backing Russia would have on its economy, Garamendi said.