China has firmly rejected the imposition of US sanctions related to its economic ties with Russia, asserting that these relationships adhere to the principles of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Liu Pengyu, spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in the United States, stated this in a conversation with TASS on Tuesday.
According to Liu, China's stance on the situation in Ukraine is both "just and objective," pointing to Beijing's efforts to promote peace talks and seek a political settlement.
"China firmly rejects illegal unilateral US sanctions, and we will not certainly agree to be a scapegoat," he remarked, responding to comments from US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Blinken had previously mentioned that the US intended to expand its blacklist to include more Chinese firms suspected of sending dual-use goods to Russia.
"Our trade relations with Russia are normal and in line with WTO norms and market rules. They do not target any third country, nor should they be subjected to interference or coercion by a third country," Liu added. He assured that China would protect the lawful rights and interests of its companies against external pressures.
In his testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Blinken acknowledged that while the US had already sanctioned over 100 Chinese entities, it plans to continue this strategy. However, he also admitted that China had not supplied weapons to Russia.
