The U.S. should abide by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter in handling its relations with Cuba, and fully lift the embargo on Cuba, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Monday. 

She made the remarks in response to U.S. extending the Trading with the Enemy Act against Cuba for another year. 

"The U.S.'s brutal and inhumane economic, financial and commercial embargo against Cuba over the past 60 years seriously violates international law and basic norms in international relations, infringes on Cuba's right to stay a viable nation and pursue development and Cuban people's basic human rights, and breaches the fundamental international humanitarianism. China firmly opposes this," she said. 

China respects countries' right to independently choose their social system and development path, firmly opposes unilateral sanctions imposed on countries, Mao said, adding that China supports the Cuban people in upholding their right to subsistence and development, and supports Cuba's just cause of defending sovereignty and opposing embargo. 

"The United Nations General Assembly has overwhelmingly adopted the resolution urging the U.S. to end its economic, commercial and financial embargo against Cuba for 29 consecutive times. We call on the U.S. to heed the call for justice from the international community," she added. 

The Trading with the Enemy Act was approved by the U.S. Congress in October 1917, and the law gives the president powers to restrict trade with countries considered hostile and opens the possibility of applying sanctions. 

Earlier, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel said on Twitter that the U.S. used the law as pretext to continue the blockade on Cuba. Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez tweeted that the U.S. ratifies the framework that supports the policy of abuse against Cuba and its people, which is rejected by almost all members of the international community.