China warned the European Union on Wednesday against sanctioning its companies, after Brussels proposed a fresh wave of measures over Beijing’s support for Russia in its war with Ukraine.

The EU’s latest round of sanctions since Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine seeks, among other aims, to complicate commercial activities by companies in third countries that allegedly support the Russian military.

The 27-member bloc has previously implemented measures targeting Chinese firms for their alleged support for Russia’s military industrial complex.

The sanctions must be debated and unanimously approved by the EU’s 27 member states to come into force.

Officials told AFP the measures include adding 14 companies from mainland China and Hong Kong to a list of firms banned from buying EU goods.

Asked about the proposed sanctions, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said that Beijing “has always firmly opposed illegal unilateral sanctions that lack basis in international law”.

“China has several times lodged serious representations with the European side, urging it to correct its wrong practices,” Lin told a regular news conference.

He warned that China will “closely follow” developments and “take necessary measures to resolutely safeguard its legitimate rights and interests”, without providing further detail.

Particularly sensitive is Moscow’s drone technology, which has played a crucial role in the Russia-Ukraine war — now in its fifth year.

Chinese firms dominate the global market for civilian drones, though a grey area for some products with potential military uses presents hurdles for enforcement of export controls.

Beijing presents itself as a neutral party in the Ukraine war and says it is not sending lethal assistance to either side.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on social media Tuesday that “brick by brick, we are collapsing the foundations of Russia’s war economy”.

The latest package marks “the largest set of listings in over two years… notably on the financial sector, energy and drones’ production”, she wrote.

A senior European Union official said Friday that China had trained Russian troops who ended up fighting in Ukraine, backing up media reports that cited European intelligence agencies.

“The Chinese training of Russian soldiers has been confirmed by our services,” the high-ranking EU official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The official said the training was happening in several locations in China and that “hundreds” of troops were involved.

“China has trained Russian soldiers, some of whom have also been deployed in the war directly against Ukraine,” the official said.

Several media outlets reported last month that European intelligence agencies believed China had trained Russian troops who were sent to Ukraine.

Germany’s Die Welt newspaper cited classified documents that said the training focused primarily on the use of drones and electronic countermeasures, with many ending up in Ukraine.

China has claimed neutrality since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but the allegations of training bolster suspicions that Beijing has offered more support to its Russian allies than publicly disclosed.

Ties between China and Russia have strengthened since the Kremlin launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with Beijing refusing to condemn Moscow’s war.

The EU has sanctioned multiple Chinese companies for allegedly supplying material to the Russian military.

EU ministers and leaders are to debate the bloc’s relations with China in meetings next week.