China Condemns Unjust EU and US Sanctions on Its Firms
China has voiced strong opposition to what it calls discriminatory penalties imposed by the European Union and the United States on Chinese companies accused of backing Moscow in the Ukraine conflict. Beijing watches with concern as its relations with Brussels drift toward a breaking point that many anticipated when Russian tanks rolled across the border. Two years of stubborn neutrality have not reversed this trend. [Citation: Foreign Ministry releases and official state press coverage]
Beijing argues that the EU sanctions lack a legitimate basis under international law and will harm bilateral trade and economic ties. In Brussels, four more firms were added to the thirteenth round of sanctions against Russia for supplying goods with dual civilian and military use. The European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that the bloc would continue to punish Russia’s war machinery and restrict access to drones, framing the moves as essential for pressing Moscow to pay a price for the conflict. China has warned that such measures undermine stable economic relations and could affect the wider market environment. [Source attribution: European Commission statements and official press briefings]
Beijing interprets the sanctions as part of a broader Western strategy. The United Kingdom announced sanctions on three Chinese firms the day after, followed by the United States listing 17 more on a blacklist. Chinese diplomats describe these measures as illegal coercion aimed at harming Chinese enterprises under the pretext of the Ukraine war. A Chinese representative at the United Nations reiterated this view, underscoring the perceived political motivation behind the moves. [Citation: UN briefing and government press releases]
“Economic Coercion”
State organs and official media outlets have directed sharp criticism at Washington, which Beijing sees as the architect of the campaign. President Xi Jinping has previously accused the United States of leading a coalition designed to curb China’s rise. A Foreign Ministry spokesperson emphasized that China will defend the rights of its firms against extraterritorial enforcement. The ministry also noted that China has reiterated a neutral and balanced stance in the Ukraine crisis and has worked to promote dialogue toward peace. The spokesperson suggested that external pressure will not deter China from seeking peaceful resolutions. [Citation: Ministry briefings and state media coverage]
China has not condemned the invasion, instead pointing to NATO’s expansion as a factor in the crisis. It has also said it has not supplied weapons to either side and has urged discussions through a roadmap that was ultimately ignored by others. Beijing’s diplomacy with Moscow has included questionable commitments described as a “boundless cooperation” by some observers. While this was not reiterated publicly, those statements have been used by Washington to question Beijing’s neutral posture. Recent sanctions appear to confirm that efforts to steer Brussels away from alignment with Washington have fallen short. [Citation: Global Times and other major outlets]
Impact on the Trade Balance
The economic consequences of these dynamics show in trade flows. Last year, China’s trade with the European Union totaled about 783 billion dollars, down roughly 7.6 percent according to Chinese customs data. Trade with the United States also declined, by about 11 percent, to around 664 billion dollars, marking the first contraction since 2019. In contrast, trade with Russia grew sharply, by more than 26 percent, reaching about 240 billion dollars. That figure remains a fraction of the level with the EU but still represents a record, underscoring how sanctions reshape supply chains and markets. [Citation: Chinese customs statistics and economic reports]
The Chinese press and academic analysts emphasize the frustration inside Beijing over what they see as Western disregard for China’s mediation attempts. Russia benefits from its strong industrial base and resilient supply chains, allowing it to sustain military operations amid sanctions. According to scholars cited by major outlets, the sanctions reveal a broader Western strategic flaw: the inability to curtail Moscow’s momentum, even as Western capitals push to isolate Russia economically. Critics argue that Western measures expose more about the limits of such coercive tactics than about Russia’s immediate vulnerabilities. [Citation: academic commentary and editorial columns]