Beijing slams US sanctions on Chinese firms as 'unilateral hegemony, economic coercion'

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) - Beijing on Thursday slammed US sanctions on at least 20 Chinese firms over links with Russia as “unilateral hegemony and economic coercion,” state media reported.

“The United States, maintaining its trade relations with Russia based on its interests while unilaterally imposing sanctions on Chinese enterprises, represents a clear case of unilateral hegemony and economic coercion,” said China's Commerce Ministry.

The ministry was responding to Washington’s sanctions on Chinese enterprises based in the mainland and Hong Kong for their alleged support to Russia's military industry and energy development.

Early this month, Nicholas Burns, Washington’s top diplomat in Beijing, said the US sanctioned 31 China-based companies for providing critical technologies to Russia for its defense industrial base.

These were among 200 entities targeted by the US over Russia’s war in Ukraine.

The US State Department designated several Chinese entities “responsible for developing, and supplying dual-use aerospace, manufacturing, and technology equipment to entities based in Russia.”​​​​​​​

Beijing “strongly opposes such actions,” said the ministry, urging the US to cease its “unreasonable suppression of Chinese enterprises immediately.”

“China will take necessary measures to resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises,” it added.

Russia and Ukraine are in war since February 2022 during which tens of hundreds of people have been killed and injured. Hundreds of thousands have been forced to migrate out of Ukraine.