China slams US sanctions as unfair ahead of high-level talks

The US imposed sanctions last week on over 400 entities and individuals for allegedly supporting Russia's war efforts in Ukraine.

China has condemned recent US sanctions on Chinese entities as "illegal and unilateral" and "not based on facts," a statement made on August 27 just before White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan's scheduled visit to Beijing for high-level discussions.

The US imposed sanctions last week on over 400 entities and individuals for allegedly supporting Russia's war efforts in Ukraine. This includes Chinese companies accused of aiding Moscow in evading Western sanctions and enhancing its military capabilities.

The latest crackdown targets companies believed to be fueling Russian military operations and helping Moscow dodge existing sanctions. The US Department of State has raised alarms about significant exports of dual-use goods from China to Russia, warning that these items could be repurposed for military use.

The newest round of sanctions specifically targets Chinese companies involved in shipping critical machine tools and microelectronics to Russia, tightening the screws on Moscow’s ability to fortify its military capabilities.

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China's special envoy for Eurasian affairs, Li Hui, who has conducted several rounds of shuttle diplomacy, has criticised the sanctions during a briefing in Beijing attended by diplomats from Brazil, Indonesia, and South Africa. Although Li did not explicitly name the United States, he condemned the sanctions as a tactic to "shift blame" and to threaten nations maintaining normal economic ties with Russia.

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China's commerce ministry and foreign ministry have both strongly opposed the sanctions, which include restrictions on Chinese companies involved in shipping machine tools and microelectronics to Russia.

Li Hui argued that the sanctions serve only "selfish interests" and lack a factual basis, asserting that the international community would not accept them. He reiterated China's commitment to seeking a resolution to the conflict, despite having skipped a Swiss peace conference in June.

China has previously proposed measures for supporting prisoner exchanges, opposing nuclear and biological weapons use, and protecting civilian nuclear facilities. In a 12-point paper released over a year ago, China outlined general principles for ending the conflict but did not provide specific solutions.

China, along with Brazil, has called for renewed Russia-Ukraine peace talks and Li expressed hope that more countries would support China's peace initiatives.

(With inputs from Reuters)