BEIJING – China’s Commerce Ministry said on April 24 it was banning exports of dual-use items to seven European entities over arms sales to Taiwan, placing them immediately on its export control list, in a rare case of Europe-targeted, Taiwan-related sanctions.
Taiwan, which China views as its own territory, gets most of its weapons from the US. Europe has not sold any big-ticket items like fighter jets to Taipei for some three decades, fearful of raising the ire of Beijing.
The entities, including German defence electronics firm Hensoldt and Belgian-based defence and sporting arms manufacturer FN Browning, have participated in arms sales to Taiwan or “colluded with Taiwan”, a commerce ministry spokesperson said in a statement.
There was no immediate comment from Taiwan’s government, the European Union, Hensoldt or FN Browning.
Dual-use items are goods, software or technologies that have both civilian and military applications, including certain rare earth elements that are essential for making drones and chips.
The ministry also said foreign organisations and individuals are prohibited from transferring or providing dual-use items originating from China to the seven entities and any related activities must be stopped immediately.
China informed the EU about the situation through the bilateral export control dialogue mechanism before the announcement, according to the ministry.
“The measures only apply to dual-use items and do not affect normal economic and trade exchanges between China and Europe,” the spokesperson said. “Law-abiding EU entities with integrity have absolutely no need to worry.”
While many countries, especially in Europe, are nervous about any defence cooperation with Taiwan over fears of Chinese retaliation, Taipei has found an increasingly sympathetic ear in parts of Central and Eastern Europe, especially since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.
China has repeatedly sanctioned major US arms makers for making sales to Taiwan, most recently in December following the US announcement of a US$11 billion (S$14 billion) weapons sale package to the island.
Taiwan’s democratically elected government rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims, saying only the island’s people can decide their future. REUTERS