China said on Wednesday it “firmly opposes” a sanctions bill proposed by US senators and backed by President Donald Trump that targets countries that buy energy from Russia.
The bipartisan legislation could pave the way for the United States to put more pressure on Russia over its war in Ukraine.
US senators who spearheaded the bill said in a joint statement last week that they expected to unveil updated legislation “very soon”.
China, among the biggest buyers of Russian oil, hit back on Wednesday, accusing Washington of using “double standards and coercion”.
“China firmly opposes illegal unilateral sanctions that have no basis in international law and are not authorized by the UN Security Council,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said at a press conference.
“China will take all necessary measures to resolutely protect the legitimate rights and interests of its enterprises and citizens,” he said.
The legislation would give the president the authority to impose tariffs and sanctions on countries that continue to buy energy from Russia, a crucial source of revenue for Moscow’s war effort.
US senators have not released details of the final version of the bill, which they said Friday had been agreed upon with Trump.
An earlier proposal called for tariffs of up to 500 percent on imports from countries that buy Russian oil, gas, uranium and other products.
The deal comes after signs Trump has grown increasingly frustrated with Moscow’s failure to negotiate an end to the conflict, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
But the administration’s support could remove the most important political hurdle to a bill that has been in the works for months and has drawn support from lawmakers in both parties — though its quick passage is not guaranteed.
Among the bills’ supporters were the late Lindsey Graham, who was a staunch supporter of Ukraine in its fight against Russia, as well as Republican Roger Wicker and Democrats Richard Blumenthal and Jeanne Shaheen.
The White House did not immediately comment publicly on the deal.
