EU to sanction China entities for role in supporting Russia’s war in Ukraine

The European Union reached a provisional agreement on Wednesday to sanction Chinese entities for the first time for their role in supporting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Six China and Hong Kong-based companies will have their assets frozen while one Chinese citizen will face a visa ban, as part of a broader package of sanctions designed to curb Russia’s military capability.

This is the fifteenth such package the EU has passed since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. As the war has rumbled on, they have increasingly focused on cutting out efforts to circumvent sanctions and trying to choke military supplies to Moscow’s war machine.

Previously, Chinese firms have been added to a blacklist of entities banned from buying goods made in the EU for their alleged role in funnelling to Russia products with dual military and civilian uses.

The latest package will be the first time, however, that they face direct sanctions for playing a role in the invasion that has dragged on for nearly three years.

It reflects a growing concern in Europe about China’s support for the conflict, both in providing an economic lifeline for Moscow through direct trade, or through the provisions of weaponry for use on the battlefield.

The names of the firms and the individual have not been publicly disclosed.