BRUSSELS: The European Union (EU) has imposed sanctions on 19 Chinese firms aimed at punishing what the West believes is Beijing’s support for Russia’s war in Ukraine. A list published in the EU’s official Journal includes various firms located in Hong Kong as well as two international satellite giants.
The 14th package of sanctions against Russia added 61 new firms to the list of entities accused of directly “supporting Russia’s military-industrial complex” in the war in Ukraine, bringing the total to 675 firms.
These companies are now subject to severe sanctions over sales of “dual-use goods and technology” that could be used for the “development of Russia’s defence and security sector”. China denies Western blames that it is supporting Russia’s military campaign.
Among the newly added firms are two major players in the Chinese satellite industry involved in the sale of satellites and satellite imagery to Russia’s Wagner mercenary group. Wagner in 2022 signed a contract worth more than $30 million with Chinese firm Beijing Yunze Technology Co Ltd to acquire two satellites and use their images.
The contract was inked in November 2022, over half a year into Moscow’s assault of Ukraine in which the Wagner group under its creator Yevgeny Prigozhin was playing an important role on the battlefield.
The two high resolution sensing satellites belonged to Chang Guang Satellite Technology, a leading international chines satellite company which was the unit to be added to the European Union’s sanctions list. Another company named Head Aerospace Technology, which sells satellite images and was included on a US sanctions list in 2023 for supplying the Wagner Group.
Even if China does not deliver weapons directly to Russia, the United States and Europe charge it of selling components and equipment to Russian’s military industry. Chinese FM spokesperson Lin Jian has dismissed the claims as “false information”.
Russian-based companies make up about half of the 61 entities added to the European Union ‘s list. In addition to the 19 Chinese firms, it also added nine from Turkey, two in Kyrgyzstan, one in India, one in Kazakhstan, and one in the United Arab Emirates.
