On Friday, the United States and the European Union placed sanctions on numerous individuals and businesses for aiding Russia’s involvement in the conflict in Ukraine. Among the sanctioned entities were multiple Chinese companies.

Although a majority of sanctions targeted Russians and Russian companies, both the U.S. and EU also imposed penalties on Chinese individuals and businesses located in cities within mainland China and Hong Kong for providing resources to the Russian military.

The United States placed sanctions on individuals and companies from Kazakhstan, Liechtenstein, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates. Similarly, the European Union targeted individuals and entities from India, Kazakhstan, Serbia, Sri Lanka, and Turkey.

Sanctions have been imposed on Russian prison officials for their involvement in the questionable demise of Alexey Navalny, an opposition leader who passed away in a Russian prison last week.

The sanctions imposed by Russia were condemned by their foreign ministry as “unlawful”. They also announced a retaliatory measure of prohibiting entry into Russia for certain EU citizens who aided Ukraine militarily.

Chinese officials did not issue an immediate response to the sanctions. But, at a regular briefing Tuesday, China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning commented on the expected sanctions saying China follows an “objective and impartial position on the Ukraine crisis” and has “worked actively to promote peace talks.”

She stated that they have not been inactive or taken advantage of the situation for their own benefit.

Ukrainian authorities and media sources have alleged that Chinese corporations have provided vital electronic devices and technologies with potential military applications, such as drone parts, to the Russian armed forces following their incursion into Ukraine in the past two years. China has refuted these claims.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday preempted Friday’s official announcement on social media, saying, “I welcome the agreement on our 13th sanctions package against Russia. We must keep degrading Putin’s war machine. With 2000 listings in total, we keep the pressure high on the Kremlin. We are also further cutting Russia’s access to drones.”

Individuals and companies that have been sanctioned are prohibited from conducting business with companies based in the United States or Europe.

However, there is disagreement among legal and political analysts regarding the impact of the sanctions.

Attorney Mark Handley, a member of the legal team at Duane Morris LLP, a law firm based in Philadelphia, stated that being penalized will have a significant impact on their global operations. He explained that companies in industries such as insurance and shipping may face difficulties once they are included on the list of sanctions.

According to Pieter Cleppe, who serves as the editor-in-chief for BrusselsReport.eu, sanctions have a history of being ineffective, particularly when they are prolonged like in the case of Russia. The country being targeted typically finds ways to manage and adapt to them.

He stated that although sanctions may negatively affect the lives of regular Russians, they have not been successful in stopping the Russian offensive. He believes that stopping the Russian offensive should be the ultimate goal.

In January, the Yermak-McFaul International Working Group on Russian Sanctions and the Ukrainian think tank KSE Institute released a report that revealed sanctioned technology is still being obtained by Russia’s military through intermediaries in other countries. The EU and U.S. are implementing new measures in hopes of preventing this from happening.

Although facing significant sanctions, the Russian economy has remained strong by diversifying its trade relationships and increasing oil sales to countries with favorable ties, including India, Brazil, and China.

According to Junhua Zhang, a senior assistant researcher at the European Institute for Asian Studies in Brussels, the EU has high hopes for China to stand with them against Russia’s aggressive actions. However, this expectation is not feasible. The minimum expectation of the EU is for Chinese companies to not collaborate with Russia, but realistically, only naive individuals would hold onto this expectation.

“Take into account that Chinese President Xi Jinping views Putin as his closest ally, and those under him will behave accordingly. This is also acknowledged by Europeans.”

Some people believe that imposing sanctions on Chinese companies could prompt Beijing to reconsider its actions.

Aliona Hlivco, a former Ukrainian lawmaker and managing director at the London-based think tank the Henry Jackson Society, said sanctions against Chinese companies could prove useful in deterring Russia’s war on Ukraine. “China is currently attempting to improve relations with the West, so reinforcing China’s compliance with international norms could be opportune.”

China’s second-largest trading partner is the European Union, following the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

According to China Customs, the total trade value between China and the EU in 2023 was $783 billion, showing a 7.6% decrease from the previous year.

During the same year, Russia faced economic sanctions that resulted in a significant decrease in its European market. However, trade between China and Russia reached an all-time high of $240 billion, with a 26.3% increase from the previous year.

According to customs data, trade between the United States and China experienced a decrease of 11% in 2023 compared to 2019, amounting to $664 billion. The Commerce Department also reported that the United States imported more goods from Mexico than from China for the first time in two decades.

Source: voanews.com