China has issued a warning to the European Union (EU) over its plans to impose sanctions on Chinese companies that do business with Russia.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin issued the warning on Monday, stating that the EU should not go down this “wrong path” and that China will take action to defend its “legitimate and lawful rights and interests.”
According to Wenbin, the European Commission has proposed measures against seven Chinese companies in the next EU sanctions package.
The warning comes ahead of the EU’s discussion on Wednesday in Brussels, where representatives from the bloc’s 27 member countries are expected to discuss proposals to impose measures against seven Chinese companies, including 3HC, a semiconductor manufacturer.
These companies are believed to have supplied Russia with products that can be used in weapons by the Russian military. The companies are also suspected of attempting to circumvent export controls to supply electronic parts for Russia’s military and armaments industry.
While the EU has plans to adopt the eleventh sanctions package against Russia later this month, China has urged the EU to reconsider these measures.
Among the companies potentially targeted in the sanctions package are microelectronics suppliers King Pai Technology, Sinno Electronics, and Sigma Technology, which are already subject to U.S. sanctions.
China has warned that it will take firm actions to safeguard its interests if the EU proceeds with the proposed measures against Chinese companies.
The EU’s decision on whether to impose sanctions on these companies will be closely watched by other countries, including the United States, which has already imposed sanctions on some of the companies in question.
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