Chinese drone maker DJI Technology Co announced that it is temporarily suspending business in Russia and Ukraine to prevent its products from being used in combat.
“DJI is internally reassessing compliance requirements in various jurisdictions. Pending the current review, DJI will temporarily suspend all business activities in Russia and Ukraine. We are engaging with customers, partners and other stakeholders regarding the temporary suspension of business operations in the affected territories,” the company said in a statement released on Tuesday.
With regard to the decision, a DJI spokesperson told Reuters on Wednesday that the suspension of business in Russia and Ukraine was “not to make a statement about any country, but to make a statement about our principles.” “DJI abhors any use of our drones to cause harm, and we are temporarily suspending sales in these countries in order to help ensure no one uses our drones in combat,” they clarified.
#Chinese company DJI Technology Co Ltd, specializing in the production of drones, announced the temporary suspension of business in #Russia and #Ukraine.
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) April 27, 2022
It is the first major Chinese company to stop selling its products in Russia after the outbreak of the invasion of Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/MhmR91zHKE
The decision from the Chinese company comes after Ukrainian officials and citizens accused the Shenzhen-headquartered company, the world’s largest maker of consumer and industrial drones, of leaking data on the Ukrainian military to Russia. That being said, its equipment has been used by both sides. While Ukraine’s military has been seen using DJI drones extensively for reconnaissance activities during the conflict, battlefield pictures and footage indicate that Russia has also deployed drones manufactured by the Chinese company.
In light of these accusations, a German retailer pulled the company’s products off its shelves at the end of last month. Although DJI had noticed footage online that suggested the Russian military was using its products, it dismissed the accusations to be “utterly false.” In addition, a DJI spokesperson said the company had not been able to confirm this and had no control over the use of its products.
In another press release last week, DJI reiterated that its “products are made to improve people’s lives and benefit the world” and that the company “absolutely deplores” any use of its products that aim “to cause harm.” “DJI has only ever made products for civilian use; they are not designed for military applications,” it stated.
Chinese drone maker DJI halts Russia, Ukraine sales 'to ensure products not used in combat' https://t.co/hncUx5SehR pic.twitter.com/VHM0jiBMSH
— Reuters (@Reuters) April 27, 2022
It further emphasised that it “unequivocally opposed attempts to attach weapons” to its products and “has refused to customise or enable modifications” that would enable its products for military use. “DJI does not market or sell our products for military use” and “does not provide after-sales services for products that have been identified as being used for military purposes,” the company stressed.
Since the onset of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, several Western firms have pulled out of Moscow in protest. However, many Chinese companies have remained, in a reflection of Beijing’s foreign policy of refraining from criticising Moscow for the invasion.
Furthermore, in December, DJI was among eight Chinese companies that were added to official US government blacklists over allegations of involvement in the repression of minority Uyghur Muslims by Beijing.
Against this backdrop, Charles Rollet, an analyst at surveillance research group IPVM who has studied DJI’s links to several Chinese state investment bodies, told Al Jazeera that “DJI is a Chinese state-backed company but it wants to be seen as a neutral global manufacturer.” “So the Russian invasion has brought unprecedented scrutiny against it and I think DJI is incredibly concerned about being perceived as an agent of Beijing. But they’re also doing this without concretely supporting Ukraine either. So in that way, they are in line with the Chinese government’s stance as well. And if you look at their statement, it’s very terse. It used the word ‘hostilities’ rather than war or invasion,” he reasoned.
China’s lack of action against Russia since the invasion has also prompted the United States to warn China against providing Moscow with economic and military assistance to circumvent Western sanctions over the invasion of Ukraine. The latest decision makes DJI the first major Chinese company to halt sales to Russia since it invaded Ukraine in February.