China now playing active role by arming Russia for war in Ukraine, Shapps says
China is actively arming Russian forces for the war in Ukraine - something Nato should be concerned about, Defence Secretary Grant Shapps has warned.
At the London Defence Conference, Mr Shapps said Beijing was now participating in the ongoing conflict by sending combat equipment to the Russian army.
"That lethal aid is now, or will be, flowing from China to Russia and into Ukraine," he said.
"I think it is a significant development and we should be concerned about that because in the earlier days of this war China would present itself as acting as a moderating influence on Putin."
He added: "An axis of authoritarian states led by Russia, China, Iran and North Korea have escalated and fuelled conflicts and tensions.
"They have increasingly been working together.
"And today I can reveal that we have evidence that Russia and China are collaborating on combat equipment for use in Ukraine.
"As we saw from Putin's state visit to Beijing and the 64 per cent growth in trade between Russia and China since the full-scale invasion, they're covering each others' backs."
Chinese exports to Russia have increased markedly since the beginning of the invasion in February 2022.
In response to the war, Nato's spending has increased, and the UK announced it would be committing two and a half per cent of GDP (Gross Domestic Product) towards defence.
Mr Shapps took aim at those countries who are not committing as much to defence, saying: "There are countries who enjoy the freedoms and liberties that a democratic state brings.
"You can't just rely on that and not contribute to it."
Mr Shapps also repeated his view that the world had moved from a post-war to a pre-war state.
"The post-Cold War peace dividend has softened attitudes towards defence spending across the West," he said.
"European societies have become used to seeing defence as really a second order priority.
"It is hard for governments to change those mindsets overnight.
"But we cannot afford to continue repeating the naivety we showed towards Russia ... because there is so much more at stake."
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