On Monday, China criticized the United States for imposing "illegal" sanctions on Chinese businesses doing trade with Russia and threatened retaliation if the measures were not lifted.
At a press briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning asserted that the US measures are not authorized by the UN Security Council and are not supported by international law. Per USA Today, she said that China's stance on Ukraine was impartial and fair, supporting peace negotiations and a political resolution.
China Urges US to Drop Sanctions
US sanctions were placed on the Chinese corporation Changsha Tianyi Space Science and Technology Research Institute for providing satellite images of Ukraine to the Wagner Group's affiliates, a Russian mercenary organization.
According to Mao, the United States has been using the false claim that China will supply Russia with weapons to justify penalizing Chinese businesses. The Biden administration claims that Chinese or Chinese-based corporations support Russia, and the State Department is imposing sanctions on them.
The action was taken in response to American concerns that China may be considering providing Russia with deadly assistance in its assault on Ukraine. In response, the US has supported Kyiv's defense from the outset of the conflict, The Hill reported.
According to Mao, the measures "have no foundation in international law or Security Council approval, and are classic unlawful unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction." The war fought by Russia against Ukraine reached its one-year mark earlier this month, just after President Joe Biden made an unexpected trip to Kyiv to pledge further aid and rally support from other countries against Russian aggression.
The Treasury and State departments jointly announced the actions against the president of Russia's Kalashnikov Concern, the company that invented the AK-47 assault rifle, as well as dozens of Wagner Group affiliates, some of which were located in the Central African Republic and the United Arab Emirates. Per SFGate, heavy battle in the east of Ukraine involves Wagner, a private Russian military outfit.
US Worries That China May Send Military Aid to Russia
The Chinese firm Changsha Tianyi Space Science and Technology Research Institute Co. Ltd., commonly known as Spacety China, which has provided Wagner Group affiliates with satellite footage of Ukraine to support Wagner's military actions there, has also been struck by the sanctions. Also targeted was a Spacety China subsidiary with a location in Luxembourg.
Republican lawmaker Michael McCaul reiterated American worries that China may give Russia lethal military aid. In an interview on Sunday, the head of the House Foreign Affairs Committee head stated that the US thinks China is considering deploying drones to Russia to help in its invasion.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, according to McCaul, have an "unholy alliance," as seen by China's sustained backing for Russia's energy trade.
This came after Secretary of State Antony Blinken said over the weekend that China was "seriously considering" giving Russia lethal aid. Per Daily Mail, to back up the assertions, he promised that "additional information" "would be out there soon."
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