China condemns US, EU sanctions on Russia as “unilateral”, “baseless”

China has voiced strong opposition to the latest US sanctions imposed on Russia’s two largest oil companies over Moscow’s ongoing war in Ukraine, describing the measures as lacking “any basis in international law.”

At a daily press briefing in Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun reiterated China’s long-standing position against unilateral sanctions, The Guardian reports.

“China consistently opposes unilateral sanctions that have no basis in international law and are not authorised by the UN Security Council,” Guo said.

The remarks came after Washington expanded its sanctions on Russia’s energy sector, targeting major state-owned companies in an effort to curtail Moscow’s wartime revenues.

China, a key trading partner of Russia, maintains that it remains neutral regarding the conflict in Ukraine and has refrained from condemning Moscow’s 2022 full-scale invasion.

In response to a question about US President Donald Trump’s recent comment that Chinese President Xi Jinping could exert “a big influence” on Russian President Vladimir Putin to help end the war, Guo reaffirmed Beijing’s diplomatic stance.

“Dialogue and negotiations are the only feasible way out of the Ukraine crisis,” he said.

Guo also criticised the latest sanctions approved by the European Union, which included measures against several Chinese companies accused of supporting Russia’s war effort.

“China is neither the creator of the Ukraine crisis nor a party to it,” Guo stated. “The European side is in no position to make irresponsible remarks about the normal exchanges and cooperation between Chinese and Russian enterprises.”

Expressing “strong dissatisfaction” with Brussels, Guo urged the EU to “stop making an issue out of China,” warning that Beijing “will take all necessary measures to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests.”

By Vafa Guliyeva