Chinese authorities emphasized that the EU's new sanctions "violate the spirit of mutual understanding" reached at high-level meetings and will have a serious negative impact on trade, economic cooperation, and financial ties between China and the EU. The ministry announced plans to protect the rights of national enterprises through decisive action.
EU Approves 18th Round of Sanctions
On July 18, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas confirmed that the bloc's member-state ambassadors had agreed to the 18th sanctions package against Russia. It targets 14 individuals and 41 legal entities, including companies registered in third countries such as China.
The package also includes restrictions on the Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines, as well as a new price cap on Russian oil. Kallas described the new measures as some of the harshest to date.
“We stand firm. The EU has just approved one of the toughest sanction packages against Russia to date,” said Kallas.
Beijing: EU Accusations Are Fabricated
The Chinese Ministry of Commerce accused the EU of including Chinese companies and financial institutions in the sanctions based on fabricated allegations. The ministry emphasized that Brussels proceeded despite multiple warnings from Beijing.
According to sources, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi personally warned Kaja Kallas against the move on three or four separate occasions. In response, the ministry expressed sharp dissatisfaction and called on the EU to immediately halt what it called “a misguided practice.”
Rahr Predicts End of Western Ultimatums if Trump-Putin Meeting Happens
Meanwhile, in Germany, political analyst Alexander Rahr predicted that the United States would abandon ultimatums and sanctions toward both Russia and China if Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin meet in China.
“What one could expect from such a meeting is the end of 50-day ultimatums and new sanctions (trade wars) aimed at Russia and China,” Rahr forecasted.
According to Rahr, a meeting between Putin, Trump, and President Xi Jinping would not please the European Union, which believes it has the U.S. firmly on its side. The analyst warned that the continuation of sanctions and trade wars could lead to a collapse in relations among the three powers and devastate the global economy.
