The People’s Republic of China has sharply condemned the European Union’s decision to impose sanctions against a number of Chinese technology companies suspected of involvement in cyberattacks on European territory.
This is reported by Finway
China’s Official Position on EU Sanctions
During a briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian emphasized that such actions by the European side are considered illegal and unilateral, and called on the EU to change its approach to cooperation with China.
“The Chinese side firmly opposes the illegal unilateral sanctions imposed by the European side against Chinese entities and strongly urges the European side to correct its erroneous approach,” said Lin.
The diplomat also stressed that the European Union should adopt a responsible and constructive position on issues related to restrictive measures against individuals or companies from China. According to Lin, only joint efforts between China and the EU will ensure peace and stability in the global cyberspace.
Details of the New Sanctions and Beijing’s Reaction
The European Union recently decided to impose sanctions against two Chinese businessmen and two technology companies — Integrity Technology Group and Anxun Information Technology. According to the European side, Integrity Technology Group was involved in hacking more than 65,000 devices in six EU member states, while Anxun Information Technology provided services for hacking critical infrastructure.
The restrictive measures include a ban on entry into the European Union and the freezing of financial assets for individuals. For legal entities, the measures involve asset freezing and a complete ban on any cooperation between European businesses and these companies.
Despite traditional countermeasures from Beijing in response to anti-China sanctions from other countries, the Chinese representative did not specify whether such actions are planned this time.
Previously, the Chinese government had already protested to the European Union over the inclusion of Chinese companies in the 19th package of EU sanctions against Russia related to the ongoing aggression against Ukraine.