China's Ministry of Commerce has expressed “strong dissatisfaction” and “firm opposition” to the US authorities' decision to introduce another set of secondary sanctions against Chinese companies supporting the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“China urges the United States to immediately stop its abusive practices and will take necessary measures to resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises,” the spokesman, who did not provide his name, said in a statement published on the ministry's website.
“They are disturbing the international order”
The US State Department imposed sanctions on Friday on more than 400 individuals and companies supporting Russian aggression against Ukraineincluding Chinese companies involved in shipping microelectronics and machine tools to Russia. China's Commerce Ministry called the actions “typical unilateral sanctions” that “disrupt international trade order and rules, hinder normal international economic and trade exchanges, and threaten the security and stability of global industrial and supply chains.”
Support for Russia's arms industry
Washington has repeatedly criticized Beijing over Chinese companies' support for Russia's arms industry and has previously imposed sanctions to try to prevent the Kremlin from using certain technologies, including Chinfor military purposes.
Main image source: Shutterstock