China's Xi Under New Pressure to Stop Aiding Russia's Ukraine War

European Union leaders will directly appeal to Chinese leader Xi Jinping regarding the actions of 13 Chinese companies accused of helping Russia circumvent sanctions.

This move, reported by the South China Morning Post (SCMP), marks a renewed effort by the EU to address concerns over sanction enforcement.

EU Council President Charles Michel, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and the bloc's top diplomat Josep Borrell are preparing for a visit to Beijing on December 7 and 8.

The upcoming EU-China summit is expected to be a critical moment for diplomatic negotiations as the EU seeks to ensure the enforcement of its sanctions and address the complex challenges posed by entities aiding Russia's Ukraine war.

According to SCMP, the EU initially excluded these Chinese firms from its 12th package of sanctions. However, there is a possibility that the names of these companies could be added to the sanctions list if the EU fails to secure a commitment from China to take action.

Ambassadors from the 27 member states met in Brussels to discuss the summit preparations and approved an orientation note prepared by Michel's team to set the agenda for the talks.

In a sign of diplomatic engagement, China has previously reassured the EU of its willingness to act against Chinese companies that help Russia circumvent sanctions.

This assurance came after consultations in June between Chinese Ambassador Fu Cong, representatives from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, and EU officials, leading Brussels to drop plans to blacklist five Chinese companies as part of its 11th package of sanctions.

Ambassador Fu Cong said: "We understand the concerns of the EU in terms of trying to prevent the circumvention of the sanctions, meaning that some of the items from the European market might be re-exported to Russia and so ... according to their view, that needs to be resolved."

The companies in question include China's Asia Pacific Links Ltd. and Russia's SMT-iLogic, which, as reported by Reuters, allegedly participated in a scheme to supply drone parts to Russia's Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff.

The Hong Kong-based exporter Asia Pacific Links Ltd. has been identified as a key supplier to Russia's drone program, alongside the import company SMT iLogic. Both firms were targeted by U.S. sanctions earlier in May.

In a related move, the U.S. Commerce Department added a total of 28 firms, including some Finnish and German companies, to a trade blacklist in September, complicating the process for U.S. suppliers to ship technology to these entities.

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