Ministry of Commerce: China opposes unilateral sanctions with no authorization from UN

China consistently opposes unilateral sanctions that lack UN authorization and a basis in international law, as well as the imposition of so-called secondary sanctions on other countries on the grounds of involvement with third parties, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce said on Saturday.

According to reports, the United States has signed the "Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026" into law. The act authorizes the imposition of so-called secondary tariffs of up to 100% on third countries that import Russian oil or natural gas. Commentaries suggest that China will be one of the targets of US tariffs.

In response, the spokesperson said China has always engaged in normal economic and trade cooperation with countries around the world on the basis of equality and mutual benefit, adding that such cooperation is neither directed against any third party nor subject to interference or coercion by any third party.

"We will continue to closely monitor the subsequent actions of the US side and reserve the right to take all necessary measures to firmly safeguard China's national sovereignty and development interests, as well as the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises," said the spokesperson.

The spokesperson expressed hope that the US will work with China to meet each other halfway, maintain the stability of economic and trade relations through dialogue and consultation, and contribute more to upholding the world trade order, as well as the security and stability of global industrial and supply chains.