Taiwan expanded sanctions against Russia and Belarus

Taiwan’s Ministry of Economy on Tuesday expanded sanctions against Russia and Belarus. The additions include a ban on the export to these countries of equipment for the production of semiconductors, as well as some chemical compounds and medicines. A total of 45 names have been added to the list. No export licenses for this range of goods will be approved.

After the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Taiwan condemned Russian aggression and joined the sanctions imposed on Russia and its ally Belarus by the United States and the European Union. First of all, Taiwan blocked the sale of high-tech goods to Russia, including household goods, which can be used for the production of military equipment. Taiwan is the world’s leading developer and supplier of microchips.

As Reuters notes, the expansion of sanctions has a rather symbolic meaning, since direct shipments of microchips and related technologies from Taiwan to Russia and Belarus are already minimized. Nevertheless, in the wreckage of Russian missiles and drones collected on the territory of Ukraine, foreign-made mechanical and electronic components have already been found, which are dual-purpose goods – that is, they can be used both for peaceful purposes and for the production of weapons.