China slams EU sanctions against Russia as ‘unjust,’ illegal

ISTANBUL

China expressed “strong dissatisfaction” and “firm opposition” Wednesday to the EU’s latest sanctions against Russia as “unjust” and lacking legal basis, according to the Global Times newspaper.

A statement came after the EU approved its 17th package of sanctions against Russia on Tuesday, targeting energy, military and financial sectors, in response to the war in Ukraine.

“China has consistently opposed unilateral sanctions that lack a basis in international law and are not authorized by the UN Security Council,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said at a news conference in Beijing.

She condemned the sanctions not only on Russia but also against several Chinese companies, reiterating China’s rejection of extraterritorial measures.

Mao also said China’s foreign trade “continued to grow steadily” despite high tariff barriers, and that the international media described the performance of the Chinese economy in April as “beating expectations” and “resilient.”