China added 14 European Union entities to its export control list on Thursday, escalating tensions with Brussels a day after the bloc adopted its 21st round of sanctions on Russia.
The Ministry of Commerce said the measure took immediate effect, barring the export of dual-use civilian and military goods to the targeted firms. Among those hit are Italy's Lafert group, German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall, Dutch dredging company IHC, Czech vehicle maker Tatra Trucks, and Bulgaria's Opticoelectron Group.
Beijing framed the move as a direct response to EU sanctions adopted on July 23, which targeted 14 Chinese and Hong Kong companies for allegedly supporting Russia's military industry. The EU package added 218 individuals and entities to its blacklist, coming after Beijing's strong dissatisfaction over a separate €550 million EU fine on AliExpress.