China slams US Russia sanctions bill, warns ties must not be disrupted

China's Foreign Ministry on Thursday pushed back against US Congressional legislation targeting Moscow, warning Washington that Beijing’s economic cooperation with Russia "should not be disrupted" by third-party coercion, according to state media.

US Congress passes Russia sanctions

The US House of Representatives approved the bill on Wednesday by a 262-159 vote, with dozens of Democrats joining Republicans. The measure now goes to President Donald Trump for his signature and would allow the administration to impose tariffs of up to 100% on countries purchasing Russian oil and gas — including China and India.

Beijing defends trade practices

Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told reporters in Beijing that China conducts economic cooperation on the basis of equality and mutual benefit. "China carries out economic and trade cooperation with countries on the basis of equality and mutual benefit," Guo said, adding that such "cooperation does not target any third party and it should not be disrupted under the coercion of any third party."

"We always oppose long-arm jurisdiction that has no basis in international law or authority of UN Security Council," Guo stressed. The legislation imposes mandatory sanctions on senior Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin, as well as oligarchs and state-owned companies. Chinese and Russian bilateral trade surged past $240 billion in 2024, with most transactions conducted in national currencies.