Ukraine on Friday slapped sanctions on three Chinese companies a day after President Volodymyr Zelensky accused China of supplying weapons to Russia.
The Chinese foreign ministry earlier on Friday dismissed Zelensky’s accusation as groundless.
While maintaining close economic ties with Russia during Moscow’s three-year war in Ukraine, China has sought to project an image of neutrality and denies any involvement in the war.
Zelensky’s administration on Friday published an updated list of sanctioned entities.
According to the list, which also includes Russian companies, Beijing Aviation And Aerospace Xianghui Technology Co. Ltd, Rui Jin Machinery Co. Ltd, and Zhongfu Shenying Carbon Fiber Xining Co. Ltd, all described as registered in China are sanctioned.
It, however, did not provide details of why they had been added to the sanctions list, which bans companies from doing business in Ukraine and freezes their assets there.
Ukraine exported $8 billion of goods to China in 2021, mostly raw materials and agricultural products, while it imported from China just under $11 billion, mainly in manufactured goods, according to the Ukrainian government.
Zelensky on Thursday told reporters in Kyiv that his government had evidence that Chinese firms were supplying what he described as artillery and gunpowder to Russia, and that Chinese entities are making some weapons on Russian soil.
The Ukrainian leader did not offer any evidence for the assertion.
He had a week earlier said that Chinese nationals were fighting on Russia’s side in the war with Ukraine, including two who had been taken prisoner.
