Beijing didn’t wait long. Within 24 hours of the European Union’s 20th sanctions package against Russia landing on April 23, China struck back. Seven European defense companies—FN Herstal and FN Browning from Belgium, Germany’s HENSOLDT AG, and four Czech firms including OMNIPOL, EXCALIBUR ARMY, SPACEKNOW, and VZLU AEROSPACE—found themselves barred from receiving dual-use exports from China. The Ministry of Commerce framed it as punishment for arms sales to Taiwan. No mention of Russia. A clever dodge. This package marked the biggest escalation yet. It slapped restrictions on about 27 Chinese and Hong Kong entities accused of funneling dual-use goods—think turbojet engines, drone parts, manganese ore—to Moscow’s war machine. Previous rounds hit fewer: seven in the 16th package from February 2025, then five, two, twelve. Now 27.…