The European Union is preparing for the first time sanctions against Chinese companies that cooperate with the “Russian military-industrial complex” in the war of aggression against Ukraine. A maneuver that in all likelihood will trigger tensions between Brussels and Beijing at a time when several European leaders have been trying to get President Xi Jinping to mediate and pressure Moscow to withdraw its troops from Ukraine.
The restrictive measures against Chinese companies (seven in total according to the Financial Times) are the most important innovation of the Eleventh package of sanctions of the EU against Russia proposed by the Commission Ursula von der Leyen.
The package, which must be approved unanimously by the member states, will be discussed for the first time this Wednesday by the ambassadors of the 27. The President will hold her Fifth visit to Kiev since the outbreak of war coinciding with Europe Day with the aim of re-staging its support for Ukraine.
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In this eleventh set of sanctions, the Community Executive takes precedence meet non-EU governments and companies helping Moscow get around the unprecedented sanctions adopted so far by the EU and its Western allies. So far, community leaders have avoided taking action against Beijing, unaware that it is providing military aid to Russia.
“What I can confirm is that this package is indeed focused on the implementation of sanctionstheir effectiveness and how to prevent them from being circumvented, and how to prevent products banned from being exported to Russia from eventually finding their way into the Russian military-industrial complex,” said the spokesman for the commission, Eric Mamer. Contrary to previous occasions, Brussels did not want to explain its proposals in detail.
Four of the Chinese companies set to be blacklisted by the EU have already been sanctioned by the US, according to the FT. Is about 3HC semiconductor, King Pai technology, Sinn Electronics And Sigma technology. In particular, 3HC (a computer chip maker) is accused of “attempting to circumvent export controls and buying or buying items of US origin to support Russia’s military-industrial base”.
For his part, King-Pai supplies microelectronics to Russia, which “has defense applications, including cruise missile guidance systems.”
The EU plans sanctions against several companies in Iran involved in manufacturing and shipping war drones to Russia.
Finally contains the eleventh package a new general sanctions regime This will allow the EU to punish non-EU countries or companies that help Moscow circumvent Western sanctions. However, Member States must approve individual measures taken under this scheme.