China decries ‘Illegal’ US sanctions amid drone export dispute
China condemned the latest U.S. sanctions targeting its firms, accusing Washington of overreach.
China condemned the latest U.S. sanctions targeting its firms, accusing Washington of overreach. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning asserted at a Friday press briefing that China has not supplied lethal weapons to either Russia or Ukraine, maintaining that Beijing enforces strict controls over dual-use items, including drones.
The sanctions, imposed Thursday, target two Chinese companies accused by the U.S. of supplying drone components to Russia, aiding its military’s long-range UAV attacks on Ukraine. “The U.S. has for the first time imposed sanctions on Chinese entities that it claims are ‘directly developing and producing complete weapons systems in partnership with Russian firms,’” the U.S. Treasury stated.
Mao, however, dismissed these claims, stating, “China has never provided lethal weapons to either party of the Ukrainian conflict.” She described the sanctions as “illegal, unilateral” and criticized the U.S. for using the Ukraine war to “smear and pressure” China.
This marks a continuation of tensions between the two powers, as in July, Beijing enacted a ban on the export of civilian drones with potential military uses amid Western accusations of aiding Russia’s weapons industry.