China has expressed its opposition to the latest round of U.S. sanctions targeting Chinese companies allegedly linked to Russia's war efforts in Ukraine. The U.S. imposed sweeping sanctions on numerous firms across various regions, accusing them of aiding Russia's war effort and helping it evade sanctions.
The U.S. Department of State raised concerns about the significant exports of dual-use goods from China to Russia. In response, the Ministry of Commerce in China firmly opposed the U.S. decision to include multiple Chinese companies on its export control list, preventing them from trading with U.S. firms without a special license.
Describing the U.S. sanctions as unilateral and disruptive to global trade orders and rules, the Chinese ministry urged the U.S. to cease such actions immediately. It emphasized that China would take necessary measures to protect the legitimate rights and interests of its companies.
These sanctions are part of a series imposed by the U.S. on Russian entities and their suppliers in other countries following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Despite these measures, Russia has managed to sustain its economy by selling oil and gas on international markets.
The U.S. State Department revealed that some Chinese companies supplied machine tools and components to Russian firms. While China has positioned itself as neutral in the Ukraine conflict, it shares a strained relationship with the West, similar to Russia.
Following Western sanctions on Russian oil, China significantly increased its purchase of Russian oil, strengthening its ties with Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin highlighted the importance of China by meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping shortly after his re-inauguration for a fifth term in the Kremlin.
