The European Union has sanctioned two mainland Chinese oil refineries and one Hong Kong-based oil trader as part of its latest efforts to hobble Russia’s war economy, drawing a stern rebuke from Beijing.
The companies were listed in a broader package of sanctions agreed by the EU’s 27 member states on Thursday morning, punishing in total 15 mainland Chinese or Hong Kong-registered entities over what Brussels considers illicit trade with Russia.
China’s foreign ministry hit back immediately, reiterating its stance that it “has never provided lethal weapons to any party to the conflict and exercises strict export control over dual-use articles”.
“Most countries in the world, including those in Europe and the United States, continue to trade with Russia,” the ministry said in a statement on Thursday.
“The EU and the US are in no position to point fingers at normal exchanges and cooperation between Chinese and Russian companies,” it added.
Refineries Liaoyang Petrochemical Company – a subsidiary of state-owned China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) – and Shandong Yulong Petrochemical, as well as oil trader Chinaoil (Hong Kong) Corporation – another CNPC subsidiary – have been placed under full sanctions, as was Tianjin Xishanfusheng International Trading Company, a trading firm.
Eleven other companies are listed under an export blacklist known as Annex IV, meaning European firms cannot sell to, buy from or provide technical help for them for any goods listed as dual use under EU law.
These companies are primarily electronics, logistics and trading firms accused of supplying or easing the transfer of dual-use goods to Russia’s defence sector.
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