China will face consequences if it helps Russia evade sanctions in its invasion of Ukraine, the US says.
Unnamed US officials told multiple news outlets that China had signaled willingness to provide military assistance to Russia.
The Chinese foreign ministry accused the US of spreading disinformation. Russia denied asking Beijing for military help.
The exchanges came before the top US and Chinese officials met in Rome.
Media outlets, citing Washington officials, say that Russia has in recent days asked China specifically for military equipment, including drones.
On Monday, the US warned allies that China had suggested it was open to a move to provide military and economic support, media reports said.
The report came as US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan met China’s top diplomat, Yang Jiechi, for talks in Rome.
“Mr Sullivan raised a range of issues in US-China relations, with substantial discussion of Russia’s war against Ukraine,” a readout of the meeting said. “They also underscored the importance of maintaining open lines of communication between the United States and China.”
In an earlier CNN interview, Mr Sullivan said the US was “communicating directly, privately to Beijing that there will absolutely be consequences for large-scale sanctions evasion efforts or support to Russia to backfill them”.
“We will not allow that to go forward and allow there to be a lifeline to Russia from these economic sanctions from any country, anywhere in the world,” he said.
He added that while the US believed China was aware that Russian leader Vladimir Putin was “planning something” before the invasion happened, Beijing “may not have understood the full extent of it”.
