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EU agrees to blacklist Chinese firms for first time in latest Russian sanctions package
- Three mainland businesses and one from Hong Kong will be sanctioned after Hungary agreed not to veto the measure
- Last year China convinced Europe to remove companies from a blacklist after providing assurances that exports would be stopped
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Finbarr Berminghamin Brussels
The European Union has for the first time agreed to blacklist Chinese companies as part of its attempts to hobble Russia’s military.
On Wednesday ambassadors from the union’s 27 member states greenlit its 13th package of sanctions since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began almost two years ago.
As part of this, three mainland Chinese entities and one registered in Hong Kong will be barred from doing business with European counterparts. They stand accused of helping Russian buyers access goods with dual military and civilian uses that were made in Europe, but banned from being exported to Russia by the EU.
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Hungary, a close partner of Beijing, decided not to veto the package, after its passage was delayed last week.
A diplomat familiar with the discussions said “Hungary had requested more time” last week.
The diplomat continued: “In the past days, we had received clear signs from Hungary that they would not oppose the sanctions’ package. Coreper [the ambassadors’ group that passed the measures] approved the package very quickly, without discussion, except one statement from Hungary.”
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