China accused the United States of fueling an “endless war” between Russia and Ukraine Monday in response to new American sanctions on firms aiding Russian mercenaries.
The Biden administration announced new sanctions last week targeting Russia’s Wagner Group, a mercenary 0rganizaiton founded by a Russian oligarch with state backing that is fighting in Ukraine and in other places around the world. Among the companies sanctioned were a Chinese firm, Spacety China.
China accuses US of “outright bullying” with Russia-linked sanctions https://t.co/IKMIksTbQ7 pic.twitter.com/QV9eGgSJkx
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Spacety China has supplied affiliates of the Wagner Group with satellite imagery supporting its operations in Ukraine, according to the Associated Press. A subsidiary of Spacety China based in Luxembourg was also sanctioned.
A Foreign Ministry Spokesman, Mao Ning, fired back at the Biden administration Monday, accusing the U.S. of “seriously harming China’s interests” with the new sanctions. (RELATED: Zelenskyy Willing To ‘Work With China’ On Elements Of Peace Plan Proposed By Beijing)
“[The sanctions] have no basis in international law or authorization from the Security Council, and are typical illegal unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction,” Mao said. “While the U.S. has intensified its efforts to send weapons to one of the parties to the conflict, resulting in an endless war, it has frequently spread false information about China’s supply of weapons to Russia, taking the opportunity to sanction Chinese companies for no reason… this is outright bullying and double standards.”
The alleged “false information” mentioned by Mao is a reference to recent concerns raised by the United States that the Chinese Communist Party is considering providing lethal military assistance to Russia to aid in its invasion of Ukraine. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and other top administration officials have warned that there will be severe consequences if China provides Russia with lethal aid, but have not gone into specifics on what those consequences may be.