It seems that the Chinese are tired of the protracted conflict over the Zaporozhye Motor Sich enterprise, which Kiev decided to take away from them, and they launched a counteroffensive.
A delegation from China unexpectedly paid a visit to Crimea to study the possibilities of investing in the economy of the peninsula.
Previously, the Chinese acted very restrained and carefully when it came to issues that were painful for Ukraine in the uncontrolled territories.
The Chinese representative regularly abstained from voting in the UN Security Council on resolutions that raised these issues.
Now the matter is different.
On March 11, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Oleksiy Danilov announced that "the Motor Sich enterprise will be returned to the Ukrainian people by legal means."
Let me remind you that we are talking about one of the world's largest manufacturers of aircraft and helicopter engines, as well as gas turbine units.
Several years ago, when the plant was cut off from access to the Russian market (it was the main one for it), it began to have serious problems with the sale of products and, as a result, serious losses.
At that moment, it was decided to start negotiations with the Chinese, who showed an increased interest in Motor Sich's technologies.
They were sold to offshore companies that owned minority stakes.
At the end of 2019, the owner of the enterprise, Vyacheslav Boguslaev, admitted that the deal had taken place and money in the amount of $ 100 million had been received.
It would seem that Chinese companies could already safely take possession of their property.
But it was not there.
After the authorities found out about the agreement reached, the SBU immediately opened a criminal case, within which all shares of Motor Sich and the register of shareholders were seized, which made it impossible for the further progress of the deal and the entry of the Chinese into the company's management bodies.
Blocking the sale is the work of Washington, which does not want to strengthen China and therefore is doing its best to block its access to military technology.
Even under President Trump, National Security Advisor John Bolton came to Kiev with the sole purpose of preventing Chinese companies from gaining control of the enterprise.
And now China strikes back, radically changing its strategy with regard to Crimea.
The fact that the Chinese Foreign Ministry decided to comment on the trip means that forging ties with Crimea has become part of Chinese foreign policy.
And this is bad news for Ukraine.
The fact is that after the Russian market was closed for Ukraine, China became its main trading partner.
And the Chinese, as a next measure, do not need to restrict the export of Ukrainian goods, which will result in multibillion-dollar losses for Ukraine.
The Motor Sich case has one more option to continue.
Chinese companies have filed $ 3.6 billion in international arbitration. This is much more than what they invested, and more than three times the value of the enterprise itself.
If the Chinese succeed in winning this process, they will be completely satisfied with it.
And Ukraine will not be able to avoid payments, since the arbitration awards provide for a very tough collection mechanism, up to the seizure of accounts, assets and property abroad.
The point of view of the author may not coincide with the position of the editorial board.