US long-arm jurisdiction Illustration: Chen Xia/Global Times

The Chinese Embassy in the US has harshly criticized Washington’s latest trade restrictions against Chinese entities over the Russia-Ukraine conflict, saying the move is typical economic coercion, unilateralism and bullying, Russian news agency TASS reported on Saturday.

The US government imposed new trade restrictions on 93 entities for “supporting Russia's war effort in Ukraine,” Reuters reported on Friday. The 93 entities are from China, Russia, Turkey, the UAE, Kyrgyzstan, India and South Korea, and they will be subject to trade restrictions. The list included eight Chinese entities, according to the report.

The inclusion of Chinese entities has drawn sharp criticism from China. Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in the US, denounced the actions as unwarranted economic coercion and unilateralism.

"The US imposed more unilateral sanctions on Chinese companies citing their relations with the Russian side. This is a typical move of economic coercion, unilateralism and bullying," Liu was quoted by TASS as saying. 

China "firmly opposes the US move of overstretching the concept of national security and abusing state power to suppress Chinese companies," Liu said. "The US needs to correct its wrongdoing immediately, and stop containing and suppressing Chinese companies. China will continue to do what is necessary to firmly safeguard the lawful rights and interests of Chinese companies.”

During a regular press briefing on Tuesday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry also responded to the potential US sanctions over normal China-Russia cooperation, emphasizing China's neutral stance on the Ukraine crisis and its efforts to promote peace talks. 

“We follow an objective and impartial position on the Ukraine crisis, and have worked actively to promote peace talks. We have not sat idly by, still less exploited the situation for selfish gains,” Mao Ning, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, said at the press briefing.

Mao further stressed China's opposition to unilateral sanctions and extraterritorial jurisdiction that lack a basis in international law or a UN Security Council mandate. 

"China has the right to carry out normal cooperation with countries. We always oppose unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction that lack basis in international law or UN Security Council mandate. China will continue to do what is necessary to firmly safeguard the legitimate and lawful rights and interests of Chinese companies," Mao said.