For the first time since the war in Ukraine began, Brussels has proposed sanctions against Chinese companies supporting Russia’s war machine.
Seven Chinese companies accused of selling equipment that could be used in weapons are listed in a new sanctions package to be debated by EU member states this week, the Financial Times has confirmed.
Some companies have already been put down U.S. sanctionsThe EU’s move will likely put it at odds with Beijing, which wants to stop the EU from taking Washington’s side in the battle for global power.
Brussels have so far avoided targets Chinaclaimed that there was no evidence to show that it had provided weapons directly to Moscow.
Unanimous approval of the 27 member states is required to implement the sanctions list.
Two mainland Chinese companies on the list, 3HC Semiconductors and King-Pai Technology, are already under US sanctions. Two Hong Kong-based companies on the EU list are already on the US Treasury list. Sinno Electronics and Sigma Technology.
The proposed sanctions from the European Commission state: Ukraine, certain other entities in third countries involved in circumventing trade restrictions, and certain Russian entities involved in the development, production and supply of electronic components for the Russian military and industrial complex. . ”
Computer chip maker 3HC accused it of “acquiring or attempting to acquire items of U.S. origin in an attempt to circumvent export controls to support Russia’s military and/or defense industrial base.”
King-Pai provides Russia with microelectronics “with defense applications, including cruise missile guidance systems.” said before.
Brussels has also proposed sanctions against some Iranian companies involved in manufacturing drones and supplying them to Russia.
The EU aims to tackle sanctions evasion more generally. The draft includes measures that would allow the EU to restrict the sale of certain products to third countries if diplomatic pressure fails to change their behavior. must approve the measures of
It also has the power to ban oil tankers that hide their locations from EU ports without good reason. FT means that the ship evading the embargo Interfering with Russian seaborne oil imports by pretending the shipments are from elsewhere.
The commission also proposes broadening the ban on exports to Russia.
It has also eased restrictions on asset transfers to sanctioned entities, allowing it to sell joint ventures with Western companies.
The committee declined to comment.