China's Central Military Commission (CMC) on Saturday lodged solemn representations against sanctions imposed by the United States. Huang Xueping, deputy head of the CMC's Office for International Military Cooperation, summoned the acting defense attache at the US Embassy on Saturday evening.
The US State Department announced Thursday that it would impose sanctions on the Equipment Development Department of the CMC and the department's director, alleging that China had violated the "Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act."
Huang said the military cooperation between China and Russia is a normal cooperation between sovereign states that goes in line with international law.
He called the US side's unreasonable move "a flagrant breach of basic rules of international relations" and "a stark show of hegemonism" that severely harmed relations between China and the United States as well as their militaries.
China resolutely opposes the US move and will never accept it, he said.
China will immediately recall Chinese navy commander Shen Jinlong who is in the United States attending the 23rd International Seapower Symposium and postpone the second meeting of a communication mechanism for the joint staff departments of China and the United States, scheduled for Sept. 25-27 in Beijing, he added.
China demands the US side to immediately correct its wrongdoing and withdraw the so-called sanctions. "The Chinese military reserves the right to take further countermeasures," Huang warned.
China's Ministry of National Defense also expressed strong indignation and resolute opposition to Washington's move.
The ministry's spokesperson Wu Qian said the US move has seriously breached the relations between the two countries and their military, and the Chinese military has made solemn representations and protests to the US.
"We demand that the US immediately correct the mistakes and revoke the so-called sanctions, otherwise the US must bear the consequences," the spokesperson said.
(Cover: File photo of Wu Qian /MOD Photo)