The US government announced a wide-ranging expansion of its sanctions regime against entities within the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Hong Kong on Wednesday. The move follows numerous warnings from high-ranking US officials such as Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who have continually warned China against supplying dual-use items—materials with potential applications for both civilian and military purposes—to Russia.
According to the officials, such materials are playing a key role in augmenting Russian military capabilities amidst the ongoing conflict with Ukraine. This recent action sees the implementation of almost 300 new sanctions targeted at individuals and companies around the globe. The reason stated for the move is to limit third-party contributions towards Russia’s military capabilities in the conflict with Ukraine.
The new sanctions include entities in Russia itself, and other countries including but not limited to Azerbaijan, Belgium, Slovakia, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates. Specifically, more than a dozen companies in China and Hong Kong have been on the target list. These companies are known for supplying dual-use aerospace, manufacturing, and technological equipment to Russia. Examples include Tulun International and Finder Technology Limited, both based in Hong Kong.
As per the US government, these sanctions aim to disrupt the supply networks bolstering Russia’s military-industrial complex, including its biological and chemical weapons programs; and to deter attempts to circumvent existing sanctions.
However, the PRC has categorically rejected US allegations concerning its economic and trade relations with Russia. It has labeled such charges as baseless and has criticized the US for what it perceives as hypocrisy, considering the substantial assistance the US gives to Ukraine. The PRC stands firm on its impartial and fair position on the Ukraine issue and insists on its tight regulation of exports of dual-use items in compliance with its laws and regulations. In its defense, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin emphasised that the PRC did not instigate the Ukraine crisis nor is a participant in it.
The original report can be found in full here.