China warns EU not to sanction companies aiding Russia in Ukraine: ‘Extremely dangerous’
Joel Gehrke
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A brewing debate over European sanctions on Chinese companies providing equipment to Russia’s military could have “extremely dangerous” consequences, according to Chinese officials.
“We firmly oppose illegal sanctions or long-arm jurisdiction against China citing China-Russia cooperation,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told reporters Monday. “If the report you cited is true, the EU move will erode mutual trust and cooperation with China and sharpen division and confrontation in the world, which is extremely dangerous.”
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European Union officials reportedly have circulated a proposal to blacklist several Chinese companies implicated in providing equipment to the Russian military. That prospect has arisen against the backdrop of a more fundamental debate about Europe’s posture towards Beijing, as Chinese communist officials dangle the hope of playing peacemaker in Ukraine despite their long-term alignment with Russia.
“China upholds an objective and just position, actively promotes talks for peace, and has played a constructive part in facilitating a political settlement of the crisis,” Wang insisted. “China-Russia economic and trade cooperation is completely above-board.”
China has loomed as an untapped reserve of diplomatic and military power on the margins of the war in Ukraine. Chinese General Secretary Xi Jinping appeared to give “tacit approval” to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s campaign to overthrow the Ukrainian government, as part of a broader drive for their envisioned “transformation of the global governance architecture and world order,” but Beijing seems to have stopped short of sending lethal aid directly to the Russian military.
Yet Ukrainian officials have announced that “a lot of different” equipment from Chinese companies — just another arm of state policy in the communist regime, according to Western officials — has appeared on the battlefield, as Xi continues to tread the line between official neutrality and the shared Russian and Chinese desire to blunt Western power. President Joe Biden’s administration has imposed sanctions on several Chinese companies in response to that support, and EU officials could soon fall into step, according to a proposal first reported by Financial Times.
“In view of the key enabling role of electronic components for use by Russia’s military and industrial complex for supporting the war of aggression against Ukraine, it is also appropriate to include certain other entities in third countries involved in the circumvention of trade restrictions,” the European Commission proposed.
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Wang, the Chinese diplomatic spokesman, warned that Beijing would find a way to respond if Brussels applies that language to Chinese companies.
“We call on the EU not to take that wrong course,” he said. “Otherwise, China will take resolute measures to safeguard our legitimate and lawful rights and interests.”