China tells US to avoid ‘wrong moves’ over Iran oil controls

Beijing gave no indication how Beijing might respond if Washington imposes penalties.

By Associated Press

China has told Washington to avoid “wrong moves” that hurt Chinese interests following a U.S. threat to impose sanctions on buyers of Iranian oil.

The Trump administration said Monday that it will no longer exempt any countries from U.S. sanctions if they continue to buy Iranian oil, stepping up pressure on Iran in a move that primarily affects the five remaining major importers: China and India and U.S. treaty allies Japan, South Korea, Turkey.

A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, Geng Shuang, said Wednesday that Beijing opposes the Trump administration’s “unilateral sanctions and so-called long-arm jurisdiction” over Iran.

Geng said China, one of the biggest buyers of Iranian oil exports, would protect the “legitimate rights” of its companies but gave no indication how Beijing might respond if Washington imposes penalties.

“We urge the United States to earnestly respect China’s interests and concerns and refrain from taking wrong moves that will undermine our interests,” the spokesman said at a news briefing.