BEIJING – China summoned the US ambassador on Saturday to lodge an officialprotest over sanctions imposed by the United States against a Chinesemilitary organisation for buying Russian fighter jets and missiles, statemedia said.
The announcement came a day after China called on the United States towithdraw the sanctions or “bear the consequences”.
The spat adds to tensions between the two global powers over trade, China’streatment of religious groups and the Asian country’s claims to disputedislands in the South China Sea.
Vice Foreign Minister Zheng Zeguang summoned Ambassador Terry Branstad and“lodged solemn representations over US sanctions against (the) Chinesemilitary,” the People’s Daily said in a brief report online.
On Thursday, Washington placed financial sanctions on the EquipmentDevelopment Department of the Chinese Defence Ministry, and its topadministrator, for its recent purchase of Russian Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jetsand S-400 surface-to-air missile systems.
Officials said it was the first time a third country has been punishedunder the CAATSA sanctions legislation for dealing with Russia, andsignalled the Trump administration’s willingness to risk relations withother countries in its campaign against Moscow.
Russia also lashed out at the US sanctions, accusing Washington of playingunfairly and using new measures to squeeze Moscow out of the global armsmarket.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Friday that “Washington’s continuedsanctions hysterics” dealt a new blow to US-Russia ties but could notimmediately say if Moscow would retaliate, or how.
The Chinese military expressed “strong indignation and resolute opposition”to the sanctions, the defence ministry said Saturday, echoing a foreignministry statement the previous day.
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Ministry spokesman Wu Qian said the US move was a “a flagrant breach ofbasic rules of international relations” and “a stark show of hegemonism”that severely damages relations between the two countries and theirmilitaries, according to the official Xinhua news agency.
United in their resentment of America’s global influence, China and Russiahave sought in recent years to tighten up their ties and this monthconducted week-long joint military drills in Moscow’s largest ever wargames.
US officials said that the US could consider similar action against othercountries taking delivery of Russian fighter jets and missiles.
The State Department also placed 33 Russian intelligence andmilitary-linked actors on its sanctions blacklist.
All of them defence related firms, officers of the GRU militaryintelligence agency, and people associated with the Saint Petersburg-basedInternet Research Agency disinformation group have been on previous USsanctions lists.
A senior US administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity,insisted the ultimate target was Russia and not “the defence capabilities”of third countries.
CAATSA, or the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, waspassed in 2017 as a tool that gives Washington more ways to target Russia,Iran and North Korea with economic and political sanctions. – APP/AFP
