A Chinese trade organisation tried to buy equipment capable of jamming drones for the occupiers. The "Association for Promotion of Trade with Russia of Guangdong Province" made the relevant announcement public.
What is known about China's assistance in weapon purchase for Russia
The message appeared on the Chinese social network WeChat on May 22. Interestingly, it disappeared later, and the organisation stated that the buyers were allegedly looking for "children's toys".
The organisation clarified that buyers need "jammer generators, drone detectors (trade names BorisTone, Assel Labs, Bulat) or other similar technological solutions, UAV suppression devices, jammers of the communication frequency range."
Buyers wanted a local equivalent of Bulat UAV detectors developed by the St. Petersburg company 3mx. By the way, last month, 3mx said that these detectors were used "on the front lines" during Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Interestingly, the purchase announcement was posted on May 22 but disappeared later. An association representative told the newspaper that the ad was allegedly "some kind of mistake, so it was removed."
The person claimed that the Russian buyers were actually looking for "kids' toys" — despite detailed descriptions of drone detection equipment in the message — before hanging up, the paper said.
What is China's role in the global drone supply chain?
Reporters noted that China plays a dominant role in the global drone supply chain, and DJI, based in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, is the world's largest commercial drone manufacturer by volume.
According to the WeChat account description, the "Guangdong Russia Trade Promotion Association" was established under the guidance of the Guangdong Department of Commerce. This province is the centre of technological production in China.
The association's responsibilities include coordinating with the province to promote world trade, helping to establish contacts with Russian buyers, interpreting economic and trade policies, and providing legal advice related to Russia.
Beijing claimed that it allegedly does not supply Russia with lethal weapons. China has imposed export controls on various drones and their components.
