Beijing blasts EU over Russia sanctions indicting Chinese firms

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) – Beijing slammed on Thursday the EU over its 15th sanctions package against Russia which also indicted some Chinese enterprises and individuals.

“Despite China's repeated representations and oppositions, the EU has insisted on including some Chinese companies and individuals” in sanctions against Russia, the Commerce Ministry said, expressing “strong” dissatisfaction and opposition to the move.

The EU adopted on Monday the 15th sanctions package against Russia, which it said was designed to prevent the circumvention of EU sanctions by targeting Moscow’s "shadow fleet" and "weaken Russia’s military and industrial complex."

According to the EU, it is for the first time that the union imposed “fully-fledged sanctions” on various Chinese actors “supplying drone components and microelectronic components" in support of Russia’s war in Ukraine.

The ministry reiterated Beijing’s opposition to "unilateral sanctions" that have no basis in international law or authorization of the UN Security Council.

It said the EU’s actions are “contrary to the consensus reached by Chinese and European leaders, negatively impacting China-EU economic and trade relations.”

Beijing urged the 27-member bloc to act “in line with maintaining the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership and safeguarding the stability of the global industrial and supply chains, immediately halt its erroneous practice of blacklisting Chinese companies, and stop harming the legitimate interests of Chinese enterprises.”

“China will take necessary measures to resolutely protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises,” the ministry warned.

Russia also blasted the EU over the move, saying the new package of sanctions “essentially poses an additional threat to global, not only ours and Europe's, but global energy security and the stability of world economic relations.”