China Expresses Opposition to New US Sanctions Against Iran, Russia, and North Korea

On Friday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry issued a statement opposing the US law that intensifies sanctions against Russia, Iran, and North Korea. China has consistently opposed "unilateral" sanctions. Last week, the US Congress overwhelmingly passed a new sanctions bill targeting Russia, Iran, and North Korea, which faced objections from Iran and reciprocal actions from Russia. This bill is a new version of a Senate proposal that was approved in late June under the title "Countering Iran's Destabilizing Activities." However, the new bill also targets North Korea and Russia. The bill was signed into law by President Donald Trump on Wednesday, August 2, despite some criticisms. On the same day, Russia, Iran, and the European Union reacted to the enactment of the new US sanctions: Iran promised to respond intelligently to these sanctions, and Russia described the new sanctions as a declaration of total war in trade. According to the Russian news agency Itar-Tass, citing an official statement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry, China also expressed opposition to these sanctions on Friday, August 4. The statement reads: "The Chinese side has always opposed unilateral sanctions." The statement also emphasizes that Beijing advocates resolving disputes between governments through "mutual respect and equal dialogue." Meanwhile, just a day earlier, the Chinese Foreign Minister welcomed the views of his American counterpart, Rex Tillerson, who stated that Washington does not seek regime change in North Korea. According to the Associated Press, Wang Yi, the Chinese Foreign Minister, considered this viewpoint "very significant" and expressed hope that all parties involved would resolve their security concerns through equal dialogue. Rex Tillerson stated on Tuesday that the United States does not intend to overthrow Kim Jong-un's regime in North Korea, but at the same time warned that the country must stop its nuclear missile program. Tillerson added in a press conference that if the North Korean leader agrees to disarmament, Washington would also be willing to engage in dialogue with North Korea. Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized China's role or lack thereof regarding North Korea. Recently, he expressed disappointment in a tweet, accusing China of "lack of willingness to rein in" Pyongyang. Beijing is North Korea's largest customer for its products and also its largest source of food and fuel; however, it recently criticized the repeated US requests for increased pressure on North Korea, urging Washington to end the "hypothesis of China's responsibility for North Korea."