China Protests EU Sanctions on Its Companies in 20th Russia-Related Package

Beijing demanded the immediate removal of its firms from the new EU sanctions list, warning of “necessary measures” to protect Chinese interests and a breakdown in bilateral trust. Make us preferred on Google Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied A ship offloads liquid natural gas at the PetroChina Jiangsu LNG terminal at Yangkou port in Rudong, in China’s eastern Jiangsu province on April 24, 2026. (Photo by CN-STR / AFP) / China OUT Content Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied Flip Make us preferred on Google The Chinese Ministry of Commerce expressed a “resolute protest” on Sunday, April 26, after the European Union included several Chinese companies in its 20th sanctions package against Russia, Reuters reported. Beijing has demanded the immediate removal of these firms from the list, which targets suppliers of critical high-tech goods from third countries. The sanctioned Chinese companies are accused of providing dual-use goods or weapons systems to the Russian military-industrial complex. Follow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official . In an official statement, the Ministry claimed the EU’s move “undermines mutual trust” and contradicts previous agreements between Chinese and European leaders, warning that “all consequences will rest on the shoulders of the EU .” The approval of the 20th sanctions package follows a significant diplomatic breakthrough in Brussels. On Thursday, the Council of the EU officially adopted the measures alongside a €90-billion loan for Ukraine after Hungary and Slovakia lifted their long-standing vetoes. The deadlock ended only after Ukraine completed repairs and r estarted oil transit through the Druzhba pipeline on April 22. The €90-billion financial package is designed to cover two-thirds of Ukraine’s external financing needs for 2026-27, with the first disbursements expected to flow by late May or early June. While EU officials, including Cyprus’s Finance Minister Makis Keravnos, hailed the package as “vital support” for Kyiv, the inclusion of Chinese entities signals the bloc’s increasing readiness to confront third-party supporters of Moscow’s war effort. Other Topics of Interest Macron Urges Europe to ‘Wake Up’ Against United Front from US, Russia, and China The French president warned that the current historical moment is unique as Washington, Moscow, and Beijing align against European interests, necessitating a more unified and self-reliant continent. As Beijing threatens retaliatory “necessary measures,” the tension highlights the growing geopolitical friction between the EU’s commitment to supporting Ukraine and its complex economic relationship with China. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization since 1995. Its international market reach of 97% outside of Ukraine makes it truly Ukraine’s Global – and most reliable – Voice.