China’s international minister has condemned EU proposals to impose sanctions on Chinese language corporations for supporting Russia’s warfare machine, vowing to react “strictly and firmly” to defend its companies.

Qin Gang was talking after assembly his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock in Berlin to arrange for the joint German-Chinese language authorities consultations happening subsequent month.

Eight Chinese language companies accused of promoting tools that may very well be utilized in weapons have been listed in a brand new bundle of sanctions, seen by the Monetary Instances, which can be mentioned by EU member states this week.

Brussels has till now averted focusing on China, arguing that there was as but no proof that it was offering weapons to Moscow. The punitive measures are up to now simply proposals, topic to the unanimous approval of the EU’s member states.

Qin stated China didn’t ship any weapons into disaster areas and had legal guidelines regulating the export of dual-use items.

“There’s a regular trade and co-operation between Chinese language and Russian corporations . . . [this] should not be disrupted,” he stated.

“We’re towards states introducing extraterritorial or one-sided sanctions on China or every other nation in accordance with their very own home legal guidelines,” he stated. “And if that had been to occur we’d react strictly and firmly. We are going to defend the legit pursuits of our nation and our corporations.”

Two mainland Chinese language corporations on the EU’s listing of companies to be positioned below sanctions, 3HC Semiconductors and King-Pai Expertise, are already on the US’s sanctions listing. Two corporations primarily based in Hong Kong which are on the EU listing are already on the US Treasury listing: Sinno Electronics and Sigma Expertise.

King-Pai supplies microelectronics to Russia that “have defence functions that embrace cruise missile steering techniques”, the US Treasury has stated beforehand.

Baerbock declined to touch upon the sanctions-hit corporations. However she stated it was “necessary” that the sanctions the EU has imposed on Russia “should not subverted in oblique methods”.

“It’s notably vital when Russian arms corporations acquire entry to war-related merchandise,” Baerbock stated. For that cause, she added, the EU was contemplating “pinpointed” measures to make sure that “sanctioned dual-use items don’t find yourself within the fallacious palms”.

“That isn’t aimed towards any particular nation, however towards these sanctioned items,” she stated, including: “We count on from all international locations, together with China, that they exert affect on their corporations with this in thoughts.”

Addressing China’s latest peace initiative for Ukraine, Qin stated Beijing would stay in touch with all related international locations and “play a constructive function” in resolving the battle.

He stated that Chinese language president Xi Jinping, in a latest cellphone dialog with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, had careworn that “dialogue and talks are the one method out of this disaster”.

“As everlasting member of the UN Safety Council and a accountable nation, we are going to proceed to push for peace talks,” he stated. “China won’t pour oil on to the hearth and won’t attempt to derive its personal profit from this disaster.”