China vows payback for US Iran sanctions, testing stability ahead of Xi-Trump summit
Beijing has vowed to retaliate against Washington’s expanded Iran sanctions targeting Chinese entities, threatening a clash that could erode recent stability in the US-China relationship and become a new flashpoint weeks before President Xi Jinping visits the US, according to observers. But they say that efforts on both sides, such as this week’s Track 1.5 dialogue, could serve as a check on…
China has vowed to respond to the United States' new sanctions against Iran, warning that the move could strain an already tense relationship ahead of a crucial summit between President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump. The sanctions, announced on Monday, target Iranian entities and trading partners, including those in China and Hong Kong, in the U.S.'s latest attempt to economically pressure Iran following months of military actions and diplomatic efforts to resolve a six-month-long conflict.
Chinese officials, however, dismissed the sanctions as "illicit" and "unlawful," emphasizing that China's cooperation with Iran must adhere to international law. Experts suggest that the sanctions could pose a new risk to the relationship, especially if they extend to major Chinese financial institutions. The upcoming summit, Xi's first visit to the U.S. in over a decade, has become a potential hotspot for tensions, with both sides engaging in tit-for-tat measures, such as the addition of Chinese firms to a list of those preventing Uyghur forced labor.
Despite the increasing tensions, recent dialogue between the two countries could provide a buffer zone, allowing both sides to better understand each other's concerns and potentially avoid a major confrontation.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
