Further to our Union’s last week report on the 21st Sanctions Package against Russia, the state-run Global Times reported on Saturday, 25th July 2026, that China lodged a formal protest with the European Union after the bloc included additional Chinese companies in its 21st package, accusing Brussels of unfairly targeting Chinese businesses and harming bilateral relations.
A spokesperson for the Chinese mission to the European Union said Beijing expressed "strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition" to the sanctions. "China upholds an objective and just position on the Ukraine crisis, remains committed to promoting peace talks, and has played a constructive role in advancing a political settlement of the crisis," the spokesperson said.
China urged the EU to "immediately correct its wrongdoing, eliminate the egregious impact, and safeguard the overall interests of China-EU relations with concrete actions."
Furthermore, on the 24th July 2026 China's Ministry of Commerce placed 14 EU entities on its export control list, prohibiting exports of dual-use items and calling the measure a response to sanctions recently imposed by the EU. The European companies affected include Czech vehicle manufacturer Tatra Trucks, Italian electric motor maker Lafert SpA, German manufacturer Sindlhauser Materials GmbH and French drone manufacturer Cavok UAS.
A notice from China's Ministry of Commerce said the named companies are barred with immediate effect from receiving dual-use goods from Chinese suppliers.
The ministry said overseas parties are also banned from transferring or passing on Chinese-origin dual-use items to those companies, and any such activity already under way must stop at once.
It said exporters seeking an exemption because of special circumstances must apply to the ministry for approval.