China denies supplying arms to Russia after Zelenskyy's claims

China has firmly denied supplying lethal weapons to Russia, rejecting claims made by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that Beijing was sending artillery and other military equipment to Moscow.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told reporters on Friday that Beijing had not provided any lethal aid to parties involved in the Ukraine conflict.

“The Chinese side has never provided lethal weapons to any party in the conflict, and strictly controls dual-use items,” Lin said, according to AFP.

The remarks came a day after President Zelensky claimed that Ukraine’s Security Service had obtained information suggesting Chinese artillery was being supplied to Russia.

He also alleged that some Chinese-made weapons were being produced on Russian soil, although he did not provide further specifics.

“Some weapons are already being produced on the territory of Russia. We’ll be able to provide more details next week,” Zelensky said at a Thursday briefing.

Lin reiterated that China’s position on the war in Ukraine remained “consistent and clear” and that the country had “always actively made efforts for a cessation of hostilities and peace talks.”

This marks the second time in April that Zelensky has questioned China’s neutrality in the war. Last week, he accused Russia of using platforms like TikTok to recruit Chinese nationals into its military.

He also claimed that two Chinese citizens had been captured by Ukrainian forces while fighting alongside Russian troops in eastern Ukraine.

Beijing responded by denying that it had sent any citizens to participate in the war and said it “always advises Chinese nationals to avoid any form of involvement in foreign conflicts.”

China has maintained it plays a neutral role in the war, often calling for dialogue and peace efforts while opposing Western sanctions against Russia. However, Western nations have repeatedly voiced concerns over Beijing’s deepening economic and diplomatic ties with Moscow amid the ongoing conflict.