China’s Ministry of Commerce criticizes new U.S. sanctions against Russia

China’s Ministry of Commerce said it opposes unilateral sanctions and secondary sanctions against countries interacting with third parties, and hopes that the U.S. will “move toward” Beijing.

The ministry also said that China has always carried out normal trade and economic cooperation with countries on the principles of equality and mutual benefit, and that such cooperation is not directed against third parties and should not be subject to interference or pressure.

It added that Beijing will continue to closely monitor further U.S. actions and reserves the right to take all necessary measures to firmly defend China’s state sovereignty and development interests, as well as the lawful rights and interests of Chinese enterprises.

The statement came after U.S. President Donald Trump signed a law on new sanctions against Russia on the night of September 19 Moscow time. The document gives the U.S. president the authority to impose 100% tariffs on imports into the U.S. of goods from five countries — the largest buyers of Russian energy resources.

The law also provides for sanctions against Russian defense, energy, and financial organizations, Russia’s shadow fleet, and the Russian leadership. The largest importers of Russian oil are China and India.

Sources

• Source: meduza.io