MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 05th May, 2022) Beijing instructed several key government agencies to carry out "stress-tests" to identify challenges China would face if the West rolled out sanctions similar to those imposed on Russia, the Guardian reported on Wednesday, citing sources close to the matter.
"Those involved in this exercise use how Russia was treated as a baseline for China's own policy response should it be treated in a same fashion by the west. This stress test involves a range of methodology, including modelling," the Guardian source was quoted as saying.
According to the newspaper, Beijing ordered its vast network of government bodies, including those engaged in international trade and banking, to start the "stress-test" between late February and early March, but did not disclose the reasons for it.
On February 24, Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine after the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk appealed for help in defending themselves against Ukrainian provocations. In response, the West rolled out a comprehensive sanctions campaign against Moscow, which includes airspace closures and restrictive measures targeting numerous Russian officials and entities, media and financial institutions.
