China has responded sharply to the EU over new sanctions against Russia
China has expressed outrage over the European Union’s plans for a new package of sanctions against Russia, which may also include restrictions on Chinese companies and citizens. Beijing stated that such actions by the EU are illegal and unilateral, and called on Brussels to refrain from further tightening sanctions.
The situation has once again escalated diplomatic tensions between China and the EU amid Russia’s war against Ukraine.
China’s position was articulated by Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian during a briefing, commenting on the preparation of the latest package of European sanctions. According to him, China considers such restrictions to be unjustified and lacking legal grounds. “China has repeatedly stated that it firmly opposes unilateral sanctions that lack reasonable grounds,” Lin Jian said.
The diplomat emphasized that Beijing has already repeatedly expressed dissatisfaction over the inclusion of Chinese companies and citizens on EU sanctions lists.
The European Union is working on another package of sanctions against Russia over the war in Ukraine. According to preliminary data, the restrictions may affect not only Russian entities but also companies from third countries, including China, Turkey, and India. Beijing believes that such an approach only complicates international relations and creates additional tension between the parties.
The Chinese side insists that the EU must change its approach and refrain from imposing sanctions against Chinese citizens and businesses. “We have repeatedly expressed serious concerns to the European side and urge the European Union to refrain from imposing new restrictions, as well as to correct its erroneous actions and revoke the illegal unilateral sanctions,” stated a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Beijing emphasizes that it will continue to defend its companies and citizens on the international stage.
China’s statements indicate a further escalation of the diplomatic standoff between Beijing and Brussels, which arose against the backdrop of Russia’s war against Ukraine. Despite economic ties between the parties, the issue of sanctions is increasingly becoming a source of conflict in international politics, and the new EU package could further intensify these disputes. This was stated at a briefing by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian, commenting on the European Union’s preparation of another package of anti-Russian sanctions, which may include measures against companies from China, Turkey, India, and other countries.
As a reminder, the Russian hacking group Fancy Bear, which is linked to Russian military intelligence, hacked more than 280 email accounts of government and military institutions in NATO countries and the Balkans.
Prior to this, hackers gained access to data from the booking website Booking.com, the company reported. The attackers were able to obtain information about customer bookings, and some users received emails on Sunday notifying them of a possible data breach.
