China adds 14 EU entities to export control list in escalation of trade tensions
China has placed 14 European Union entities on its export control list, intensifying trade and technology frictions between Beijing and Brussels amid ongoing disputes over market access, industrial policy and security concerns.
Rheinmetall24th July 2026 – (Beijing) China has placed 14 European Union entities on its export control list, intensifying trade and technology frictions between Beijing and Brussels amid ongoing disputes over market access, industrial policy and security concerns. In a statement issued on Friday, the Ministry of Commerce said the move was taken in accordance with China’s Export Control Law and related regulations, with the aim of protecting national security and safeguarding national interests while fulfilling international non-proliferation obligations. The restrictions took immediate effect. Under the new measures, Chinese exporters are prohibited from supplying dual-use items — goods and technologies with potential civilian and military applications — to the designated organisations without prior authorisation. Any exception will require special approval from the commerce authorities. Among the companies named are Germany’s Rheinmetall AG, which operates in the automotive and defence sectors, and Polish electronics manufacturer Vigo Photonics S. A. The ministry said the decision was a response to the European Union’s latest sanctions package against Russia, which included punitive measures against 14 enterprises based in mainland China and Hong Kong. Trade relations between China and the EU have grown increasingly strained in recent years, with disagreements spanning electric vehicles, critical raw materials, advanced technologies and state subsidies. Beijing has accused Brussels of adopting protectionist policies and using national security grounds to restrict Chinese firms’ access to the European market.