China has announced that it would respond appropriately after the United States imposed new sanctions designed to weaken Russia’s military and industrial strength, and also targeted Chinese firms.
The Joe Biden administration on Wednesday announced sanctions against nearly 300 entities in Russia, China and other countries, for internationally supplying critical technology to Russia’s military-industrial complex.
In a retaliatory move, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said that Beijing would take "necessary measures" against Washington for crippling the capabilities of the Chinese firms.
"China will take all necessary measures to resolutely uphold the legal rights and interests of Chinese companies," the foreign ministry spokesman was quoted as saying on Thursday.
"The Chinese side urges the US to stop smearing and containing China and stop wantonly implementing illegal and unilateral sanctions," he said.
US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said her department had "consistently warned that companies will face significant consequences for providing material support for Russia's war", and that its "actions will further disrupt and degrade Russia's war efforts".
Wednesday’s sanctions signify an expansion of American initiatives to interfere with Russia's military-industrial complex's supply chain, including more than a dozen targets based in China, which Washington says has increasingly been helping the Kremlin arm itself.
According to the Treasury Department, Chinese companies are supplying Russia with infrared detectors, components for Russian drones, and pressure sensors for Russian missiles, which resulted in the imposition of sanctions against them.
Beijing has remained silent on Russia's special military operation in Kiev, while continuing to demonstrate its support through its strategic partnership with Moscow.
On Thursday, Beijing insisted again it was "neither a creator nor a party" to the invasion in Ukraine, and said it had the right to develop "normal" trading relations with all countries, including Russia.
"China has always resolutely opposed the United States implementing illegal and unilateral sanctions against Chinese enterprises and exercising 'long-arm jurisdiction'," the spokesman said.