China rejects new EU sanctions against Chinese companies

China on Wednesday strongly deplored the European Union's unwarranted sanctions on its companies after the group and the United Kingdom announced a new round of sanctions against Russia with Chinese enterprises also on the sanctions list.

"China has always opposed unilateral sanctions that lack a basis in international law or authorization from the UN Security Council," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told a daily news briefing on Wednesday.

She urged the EU to cease undermining the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese businesses, vowing that China will take necessary measures to resolutely safeguard its lawful rights and interests.

On the Ukraine crisis, Mao emphasized that China has consistently committed itself to promoting peace and dialogue. It never provides lethal weapons to parties involved in the conflict while strictly controlling the export of dual-use items, she added.

Mao further noted that at present, most countries, including those in Europe and North America, continue to have trade relations with Russia.

"The normal exchanges and cooperation between Chinese and Russian enterprises should not be disrupted or affected," Mao said, calling on the EU to stop applying double standards on trade and economic cooperation with Russia.