The world in focus, as seen by a Canadian leading global affairs analyst, writer and speaker, in his review of international media.
The European Union has proposed for the first time to target Chinese companies and individuals with visa bans and asset freezes over their dealings with Russian firms linked to Moscow’s war effort in Ukraine, according to RFE/RL. The new measures, which are laid out in a draft proposal reviewed by RFE/RL, are part of a proposed 15th sanctions package recently put forward by Brussels that aims to target six China-based companies with asset freezes and one Chinese citizen with a visa ban, among other entities. While the EU has hit Chinese entities in the past with sanctions as part of Brussels’ effort to curtail evasion, those measures have consisted of bans that prevent EU companies from having business dealings with those firms. This proposal marks the first effort to blacklist Chinese companies or individuals with visa bans and asset freezes over helping Russia procure dual-use goods that can be used on the battlefield. If approved, such a move would prevent individuals associated with the company from entering the EU and would freeze each firm’s EU-based funds – RFE/RL
Group of Seven allies are set to step up pressure on China while offering Kyiv “unwavering commitment” amid accusations that Beijing has increased support for Russia in its war against Ukraine. The G-7 foreign ministers, who are meeting in Italy on Monday and Tuesday, are expected to vow “appropriate measures consistent with our legal systems, against actors in China and in other third countries” who are supporting Russia’s “war machine” in Ukraine, according to an early draft of the communique seen by Bloomberg. The language on China, if adopted, would represent an escalation compared with the previous foreign ministerial meeting in April, when the club of nations called on China to “ensure” that it stops its support for Russia with dual-use weapons. North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies in July called China a “decisive enabler” of Russia’s war against Ukraine. The G-7 allies are also expected to “continue to apply significant pressure on Russian revenues from energy, metals and other commodities through the effective implementation of existing measures and further actions against the ‘shadow fleet’.” The new measures would seek to curb the use of a covert fleet of tankers Russia has assembled to get around a price cap and restrictions that target Russia’s ability to get its oil to market – Bloomberg
