China is one of the few countries in the world whose parent companies have not yet made a legal decision to leave Russia after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine and the imposition of sanctions against Moscow, according to B4Ukraine and KSE Institute.
Still, for instance, the car manufacturer Lifan stopped selling new cars in the Russian market, not selling a single car in 2022. The drone company DJI suspended all business operations in Russia and Ukraine “to try to keep our drones out of the conflict”. The Chinese payment system UnionPay, on its own initiative, limited partnerships with sanctioned banks both in terms of acquiring and issuing. Popular social media app TikTok suspended the access of users from Russia to conduct live broadcasts and post new content. Telecommunications and smartphone giant Huawei Technologies Co is disbanding its enterprise business team in Russia in further pullback amid Western sanctions, according to reports.
On the other hand, key cryptocurrency exchanges Bybit, Binance decided to stay as well as a number of automotive companies did: Chery Automobile, Geely, FAW Group, SAIC Motor, Haval Motor, Great Wall Motor Co., JAC Motors, Dongfeng, Changan, Exeed, GAC Group, Foton.
Overall, in 2021, 122 Chinese companies provided jobs for at least 14,600 people in Russia, those companies generated $5.9 bn in annual revenue, paid $143 mn of taxes, and had $1.8 bn in capital and $3.5 bn in assets.
Companies operating in the Automotive, Electronics, Construction & Architecture, Telecom, and Online trading industries have been the most dependent on Russia in terms of revenue share in this country.
At the same time, according to the media, some Chinese companies continue to supply sensitive goods to the Russian market and provide the Russian military with key technologies.
The B4Ukraine coalition calls on companies directly or indirectly serving Moscow’s unprovoked and devastating war against Ukraine to stop doing business with/in Russia.
Ukraine is standing up for the rules-based international order, peace and stability that businesses, including Chinese businesses, have benefited from over the years and which Russia is now undermining. Now they must pull out of Russia or be held to account.