China-Russia Cooperation Not Subject To US Condemnation

Beijing considers economic and trade cooperation with Moscow justified and not subject to condemnation by the US administration, Chinese Embassy Spokesman Liu Pengyu told TASS.

Commenting on a bill presented in the US Senate that would impose sanctions against China for allegedly supporting Russia's special military operation in Ukraine, the diplomat said, "China has always upheld a just and objective position on the Ukraine crisis and worked for its political settlement." According to him, Beijing "has never provided lethal weapons to any party of the conflict" and "exercises strict export control over dual-use articles."

"Like any other countries, China carries out normal economic and trade cooperation with Russia on the basis of equality and mutual benefit. This is justified and beyond reproach," Liu Pengyu pointed out. "We firmly oppose the US abuse of unilateral sanctions and ‘long-arm jurisdiction’," he noted.

"China will closely follow the situation and firmly safeguard its lawful rights and interests," the diplomat concluded.

On August 1, Senators Jeanne Shaheen (Democrat, New Hampshire), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and member of the Appropriations Committee, and John Cornyn (Republican, Texas), submitted a bill to the upper house of the US Congress that would allow for the possibility of imposing sanctions on Chinese individuals and entities for allegedly supporting Russia’s special military operation. The lawmakers believe that adopting the bill would contribute to negotiating a settlement to the Ukrainian crisis.