China advierte a EEUU que podría tomar represalias por las sanciones a Irán

China has warned the United States that it will take all necessary measures if Washington expands its offensive against businesses dealing with Iran. Beijing has cautioned the US that it will act if Chinese companies are included in any further sanctions imposed by the Trump administration related to Iran. The measures announced by the US Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, on Monday targeted Hong Kong-based and mainland Chinese firms, but avoided listing major Chinese financial institutions.

Any significant increase in US sanctions on China, which purchases 90% of Iranian oil, would risk destabilizing the relationship just months after Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping were scheduled to meet in Washington. The summit is considered crucial for the global economy, and leaders are expected to discuss extending a one-year truce in their trade war, which they agreed upon in October and solidified with a cordial visit from Trump to Beijing in May.

China has clearly stated its firm opposition to unilateral, illogical sanctions on Iran lacking international legal basis or UN Security Council authorization. While major Chinese state refineries largely comply with Iran oil sanctions, China allows private refineries to import and process Iranian crude. The US imposed sanctions on some of these refineries earlier this year, but China ordered domestic companies not to comply.

China has established an increasingly stern sanctions regime that includes measures against foreign individuals and organizations collaborating with external restrictions on Chinese companies and supply chains. Any attempt by the US to aggressively expand secondary Iran sanctions to Chinese firms would carry the risk of Chinese retaliation, which Beijing demonstrated the ability to cripple US manufacturing by controlling critical minerals for advanced technology production last year.

However, Zhu Feng, an international relations expert at Nankai University, believes China is interested in encouraging the warring parties in the US-Iran conflict to find a solution. He noted that ongoing restrictions on navigation through the crucial Strait of Hormuz due to the conflict are straining the global economy. Recently, Xi Jinping met with King Abdullah II of Jordan, while Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with his Kuwaiti counterpart, both discussing the Iran situation and the Gaza war. Therefore, China's message to Tehran is clear: we hope peace talks continue, concluded Zhu.