Two Beijing Institutes in 18/or Brussels Package Anti-Russia
The Chinese Ministry of Commerce has announced countermeasures against two financial institutions of the European Union in response to Brussels’ decision to insert two Mandarins financial institutions in the 18th package of penalties against Russia, which ended up in the sights for its aggression to Ukraine. It is, on the basis of what is explained in a note, of the Lithuanians AB Hand Bankas and Uab Urbo Bankas: “Organizations and individuals within the Chinese territory is forbidden to carry out transactions, cooperate and carry out other activities with these banks”.
Beijing, on the occasion, urged “the EU to correct its illegal practices” and “to stop damaging Chinese interests”, considering the European penalties against two of its banks “a serious violation of international law and the fundamental rules that regulate international relations”.
The Chinese response has a symbolic effect: two credit institutions of Vilnius ended up in the black list with which Beijing has minimal diplomatic contacts after bilateral relations deteriorated in 2021 due to the Lithuanian permit given to Taiwan to open his office with the ‘Taiwanese’ wording in the name, when similar representations operate in other countries under the name of ‘Taipei’. A move that Beijing interpreted as an attempt on the island, claimed as a “sacred” and inalienable territory, to establish itself as an independent state. China, in response, has recalled its ambassador from Vilnius and has expelled that Lithuanian from Beijing.
