China Slams US Sanctions Law on Russia and Iran as 'Unilateral'

China’s Ministry of Commerce issued a sharp rebuke Saturday against a US law signed by President Donald Trump that imposes tariffs on nations purchasing Russian petroleum products, calling the measure a violation of international norms and warning Beijing reserves the right to retaliate.

“China has consistently opposed unilateral sanctions and extraterritorial secondary sanctions,” a ministry spokesperson said, according to the Tehran Times. Beijing also condemned what it described as “coercive economic measures that lack authorization from the United Nations.”

Trump signed the legislation on Friday, September 19. Beyond its Russia provisions, the law also expands restrictions targeting Iran, extending Washington’s sanctions architecture across two of China’s most significant energy and trading partners simultaneously.

How Secondary Sanctions Work

The measure functions as a secondary sanctions mechanism: it does not solely penalize Russia and Iran directly, but imposes tariffs on third-party nations that continue purchasing Russian petroleum. China, India, Turkey, and several European Union member states are among the countries most exposed, given their ongoing participation in Russian energy trade.

Secondary sanctions of this kind have drawn consistent objections from Beijing for years. China’s position is that enforcement actions taken outside the framework of United Nations Security Council resolutions lack legal legitimacy under international law — a standard the ministry reiterated in its Saturday statement.

Beijing’s Warning

The ministry’s language was measured but explicit. Officials said China “will closely monitor Washington’s next steps” and “reserves the right to take all necessary measures to safeguard its sovereignty.” No specific retaliatory measures were named.

The phrasing mirrors language Beijing has deployed in prior trade disputes, including earlier rounds of US-China tariff escalation. Preserving flexibility while creating a formal record of opposition is consistent with China’s typical diplomatic posture ahead of potential countermeasures.

The Iran Dimension

The dual-target structure of the law — covering both Russian energy trade and expanded restrictions on Iran — places it at the intersection of two of Washington’s most active pressure campaigns. The Iran provisions represent a continuation of the maximum-pressure policy that has shaped US Iran policy across multiple administrations.

Beijing has historically maintained energy and trade ties with Tehran that Washington regards as sanctions violations. The new law’s Iran provisions will be closely watched for whether the administration pursues enforcement against Chinese entities with Iran exposure, which would represent a significant escalation of secondary-sanctions enforcement.

Strategic Backdrop

The legislation arrives as Western pressure on Russia has intensified in tandem with the grinding war in Ukraine. Russia held a parliamentary vote last week that drew international scrutiny over democratic conditions as Moscow continues its military campaign. Ukraine’s authorization of expanded long-range strikes inside Russian territory and a record-scale drone attack on Moscow have added further pressure in recent days — context that likely influenced the timing of new US legislative action against Russian energy revenue.

China has positioned itself as a formal neutral in the Russia-Ukraine conflict while deepening economic ties with Moscow. Beijing has consistently framed that relationship as normal bilateral trade rather than material support for the war effort, a characterization Western governments dispute.

On the wider China-US diplomatic front, the relationship has shown both friction and selective engagement in recent weeks. Taiwan’s foreign minister made a rare overture toward Beijing through APEC channels, illustrating how competing pressures and occasional diplomatic openings continue to run in parallel across the relationship.

What Comes Next

Beijing’s invocation of “all necessary measures” opens the door to retaliatory action. China’s track record in similar disputes suggests a preference for graduated, proportionate responses rather than immediate escalation — potential steps could include regulatory pressure on US firms, accelerated de-dollarization moves in bilateral energy contracts, or deeper supply agreements with Moscow.

The law is now in effect following Trump’s signature. Specific tariff rates and enforcement timelines for third-country purchasers had not been publicly detailed in coverage reviewed at time of publication. The ministry’s statement did not set a deadline for its response.