U.S. Treasury Department threatens China with "significant consequences" for helping Russia

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has threatened China with "significant consequences" if the republic provides material support to Russia in the conflict in Ukraine. She said this during a virtual meeting with Vice Premier of China's State Council He Lifeng on January 6.

"She emphasized the significant consequences that companies, including in China, will face if they provide material support <...> to Russia," the US Treasury Department said in a statement following the meeting.

In addition, the head of the U.S. Treasury Department expressed to the Chinese Vice Premier her concerns about China's alleged non-market practices that harm U.S. companies.

On December 13, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev said that the U.S. is using the same methods against Russia and China in order to split off certain ethnic groups from the state-forming nation.

Earlier in the day, Denis Denisov, an expert at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, shared with Izvestia an opinion that Washington and Beijing may tighten mutual sanctions after the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump. He added that the countries' relations are more likely to worsen.