Reports indicate that China’s state-owned Jilin Chemical Fibre Group has provided Russia with a crucial material used in the manufacturing of military drones. This development raises concerns about the strengthening ties between China and Russia in the defense sector amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.
Chemical Shipment Tied to Rosatom Raises Concerns
Recent documents reviewed by Politico reveal that 46 tonnes of a chemical material, essential for producing high-strength carbon fibre, were dispatched to Alabuga-Volokno. This facility is a subsidiary of Rosatom, the state-owned nuclear energy company in Russia. The implications of this shipment are significant given the geopolitical climate surrounding Russia’s energy sector.
China, though, has denied supplying weapons to Russia. Russia has also rejected the allegations. Jilin Chemical Fibre Group, however, has not been sanctioned by Western governments.
The USCC said it has found records of at least eight tenders for PAN precursor shipments from Jilin Chemical Fibre Group to Alabuga-Volokno since 2022. Alabuga-Volokno has been under Western sanctions since 2023.
Its embassy in Washington said Beijing has “never provided lethal weapons” to either side in the Ukraine war and strictly controls dual-use exports. However, former US officials said it would be difficult for a Chinese state-owned company to make such a shipment without government officials knowing about it. A Rosatom spokesperson said the company operates within Russian laws and called claims of wrongdoing false.
The revelations come just weeks before US President Donald Trump is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington.
