What's New
China has cried foul after the European Union adopted its first "fully fledged" sanctions on Chinese firms over their support for Russia amid its ongoing war against Ukraine.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian, during a press conference on Tuesday, blasted the 27-member bloc's new sanctions as "unilateral." He added they have "no basis in international law or authorization by the U.N. Security Council," though that body does not, in fact, have authority over sanctions imposed by independent bodies or countries.
Newsweek reached out to the Chinese Foreign Ministry by email with a written request for comment.
Why It Matters
The European Council, the EU's highest decision-making body, targeted 54 persons and 30 organizations for actions deemed to "undermine or threaten the territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence of Ukraine."
Targeted organizations from China, India, and several other countries were named for "directly supporting Russia's military and industrial complex," including through dual-use products and technologies and the "procurement of sensitive items," such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that aid Russian forces.
Most of the targeted companies were Russian defense firms and shipping companies involved in bypassing the cap on sales of Russian oil, a major source of income for Moscow's wartime economy. Two North Korean officials, Defense Minister No Kwang Chol, and Deputy Chief of the General Staff Kim Yong Bok, were also sanctioned.
Other measures include banning dozens of vessels belonging to Russia's "shadow fleet"—ships often operating under flags of third countries—that are used to circumvent international sanctions.
What To Know
The Chinese companies targeted include Juhang Aviation Technology Shenzhen Co. Ltd., which delivered components through a Russian intermediary that were used to manufacture Russian Garpiya-3 long-range attack drones.
A single Chinese national, businessperson Li Xiaocui, also known as Sophia Li, was added to the sanctions list over her involvement in exporting prohibited goods to a firm identified as a "major actor in the Russian Military-Industrial Complex."
What People Are Saying
During Tuesday's press conference, Lin, the foreign ministry spokesperson, said China remains committed to promoting peace talks and "strictly controls the export of dual-use articles." He added that China's export controls on drones are the "most stringent worldwide."
"Most countries, including European countries and the U.S., have continued to trade with Russia," Lin added, urging Brussels to drop its "double standard" and stop blaming Beijing. He warned that China would "do what is necessary" to defend its companies' "lawful rights and interests."
"This package of sanctions is part of our response to weaken Russia's war machine and those who are enabling this war, also including Chinese companies," Kaja Kallas, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, was quoted as saying in the European Council press statement.
"It shows the unity of EU member states in our continued support to Ukraine," Kallas added. "Our immediate priority is to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position."
The new sanctions follow last week's discussions among the EU's top diplomats, which focused on "credible" and "conclusive" intelligence reports suggesting Chinese researchers had helped Russian research and development (R&D) company IEMZ Kupol develop a new long-range attack drone.
Further concerns were raised over reports that a Chinese factory capable of producing UAVs at scale had already sent a prototype to Russia.
While Beijing has stressed its opposition to the use of drones for military purposes, Brussels and Washington have long accused Chinese companies of supplying dual-use components that end up in Russian weapons.
As of late 2023, China accounted for two-thirds of such components, according to a study by the Yermak-McFaul Expert Group on Russian Sanctions. The study examined 174 foreign components found in drones downed over Ukraine.
What Happens Next
Sanctioned parties are now subject to asset freezes, with the individuals also facing travel bans.
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