China opposes U.S. Graham Sanctions Act on Russia and Iran, warns of countermeasures
On September 18, the U.S. enacted the 2026 Graham Sanctions on Russia and Iran Act, strengthening sanctions on Russia, extending Iran sanctions, and authorizing up to 100% tariffs on third countries importing Russian oil or gas. China’s Ministry of Commerce responded on September 19, opposing unilateral sanctions lacking UN authorization and secondary sanctions on other countries. China reserves the right to take necessary measures to safeguard its sovereignty, development interests, and Chinese enterprises’ rights, while urging dialogue to maintain stable economic relations.
Editorial responsibility
- No named human review is recorded for this page.
- Reports are grouped by semantic similarity and deterministic rules. Language models may assist titles, summaries, translation and cross-source analysis; the page reads the event directly, while its address stays stable when the title changes.
- Summary covers the current reports
Cross-source coverage
Common ground
- Both sides agree that the Graham Sanctions Act represents a major escalation in U.S. economic pressure on countries trading with Russia and Iran.
- Both acknowledge that the debate reflects a broader struggle between unipolar and multipolar visions of global order.
- Both recognize that economic tools like sanctions and tariffs are being used as instruments of geopolitical influence.
Points of contention
- The Eastern side sees U.S. sanctions as illegal coercion without UN mandate, while the Western side sees them as necessary enforcement when the UN is paralyzed by Russia's veto.
- The Eastern side argues China's trade with Russia and Iran is lawful and sovereign, while the Western side calls it complicity in war crimes and nuclear threats.
- The Eastern side claims U.S. actions accelerate de-dollarization and multipolarity, while the Western side says China is building a system for sanctions evasion and autocratic impunity.
- The Eastern side defends its economic measures on Taiwan and Australia as territorial integrity, while the Western side calls those same actions hypocritical unilateral coercion.
Blind spots
- Neither side fully addresses the humanitarian impact of sanctions on ordinary people in targeted countries like Iran and Venezuela.
- Both sides avoid discussing how China's dual-use exports to Russia are monitored or whether they directly contribute to specific attacks in Ukraine.
- The debate overlooks the role of smaller nations and Global South countries caught between these competing economic blocs.
- Neither side examines the long-term environmental or economic costs of weaponizing global trade and financial systems.
WorldAttention’s read
This debate reveals a fundamental clash between two visions of global order. The Eastern side argues that U.S. sanctions are a tool of unipolar coercion that violates national sovereignty and accelerates the shift to a multipolar world, where countries like China can trade freely without Washington's permission. The Western side counters that these sanctions are a necessary response to Russian aggression and Iranian destabilization, and that China's defense of its commercial ties makes it an enabler of authoritarian regimes. Both sides accuse each other of hypocrisy and selective multilateralism, but neither fully addresses the humanitarian costs of sanctions, the specifics of dual-use technology transfers, or the position of smaller nations caught in the middle. Ultimately, the disagreement is not just about a single law but about whether the world should be governed by multilateral consensus or by coalitions of democracies enforcing consequences for violations of international norms.
Reporting timeline
China Criticizes New U.S. Law Tightening Sanctions on Russia and Iran
China has criticized a new U.S. law that strengthens sanctions against Russia and Iran, which was signed by U.S. President Donald Trump late last Friday. A spokesperson for China's Ministry of Commerce stated that Beijing 'consistently opposes' unilateral sanctions and so-called secondary sanctions. The law, signed by Trump, represents a tightening of U.S. economic pressure on both Russia and Iran. China's opposition underscores its longstanding policy against unilateral coercive measures imposed by other nations, particularly when they may affect Chinese entities or interests. The criticism from Beijing signals potential friction in U.S.-China relations over the extraterritorial application of U.S. sanctions, as China often conducts trade and investment with sanctioned countries. The statement from the Ministry of Commerce did not specify any retaliatory measures but reaffirmed China's principled stance against such actions.
Read sourceChina Commerce Ministry Responds to US Graham Sanctions on Russia and Iran Act
On September 18, Eastern Time, the United States signed into law the 'Graham Sanctions on Russia and Iran Act of 2026,' which strengthens sanctions against Russia, extends sanctions against Iran, and allows up to 100% tariffs on third countries importing Russian oil or gas. In response, a spokesperson for China's Ministry of Commerce stated that China opposes unilateral sanctions lacking UN authorization and rejects measures targeting third countries. The spokesperson affirmed that China's normal economic and trade cooperation with other nations is based on equality and mutual benefit, is not directed at any third party, and should not be interfered with. China reserves the right to take all necessary measures to safeguard its national sovereignty, development interests, and the legitimate rights of its enterprises. The statement also expressed hope that the US and China will maintain stable economic relations through dialogue and contribute to global trade order and supply chain security.
Read sourceChina Opposes U.S. Sanctions Act on Russia and Iran, Vows to Safeguard Interests
On September 19, a spokesperson for China's Ministry of Commerce responded to the U.S. enactment of the '2026 Graham Sanctions on Russia and Iran Act.' The spokesperson stated that China has consistently opposed unilateral sanctions lacking UN authorization and a basis in international law, and opposes so-called secondary sanctions against other countries under the pretext of third-party involvement. China emphasized that its normal economic and trade cooperation with all countries is based on equality and mutual benefit, is not directed at any third party, and should not be subject to interference or coercion. China will closely monitor subsequent U.S. actions and reserves the right to take all necessary measures to safeguard its national sovereignty, development interests, and the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises. The spokesperson expressed hope that the U.S. side would meet China halfway, maintain the stability of economic and trade relations through dialogue and consultation, and contribute to upholding the global trade order and ensuring the security and stability of global industrial and supply chains.
Read sourceShow 3 older updatesHide older updates
China Opposes U.S. Sanctions on Russia and Iran, Vows to Safeguard Interests
On September 19, a spokesperson for China's Ministry of Commerce responded to the U.S. enactment of the 'Graham Sanctions on Russia and Iran Act of 2026.' The spokesperson stated that China consistently opposes unilateral sanctions lacking UN authorization and international law basis, as well as secondary sanctions imposed on other countries under the pretext of third-party involvement. China emphasized that its normal economic and trade cooperation with countries worldwide is based on equality and mutual benefit, does not target any third party, and is not subject to interference or coercion. The spokesperson warned that China will closely monitor subsequent U.S. actions and reserves the right to take all necessary measures to firmly safeguard China's national sovereignty, development interests, and the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises. China expressed hope that the U.S. side will meet China halfway, maintain stability in economic and trade relations through dialogue and consultation, and contribute to upholding the global trading order and ensuring the security and stability of global industrial and supply chains.
Read sourceChina Responds to U.S. Enactment of 2026 Graham Sanctions on Russia and Iran
On September 19, China's Ministry of Commerce spokesperson responded to the U.S. enactment of the 2026 Graham Sanctions on Russia and Iran Act, signed into law on September 18 Eastern Time. The act strengthens sanctions against Russia, extends certain Iran-related sanctions, and authorizes secondary tariffs of up to 100% on third countries importing Russian oil or natural gas. Commentators suggest China may be targeted. The spokesperson stated China opposes unilateral sanctions lacking UN authorization and secondary sanctions imposed on other countries. China conducts normal economic cooperation on equality and mutual benefit, not targeting third parties or subject to interference. China will monitor U.S. actions and reserves the right to take necessary measures to safeguard sovereignty, development interests, and Chinese enterprises' rights. China hopes the U.S. will maintain stable economic relations through dialogue and contribute to global trade order and supply chain security.
China's Commerce Ministry Opposes U.S. Sanctions on Russia and Iran, Warns of Countermeasures
On September 18, the United States enacted the '2026 Graham Sanctions on Russia and Iran Act,' which strengthens sanctions against Russia, extends sanctions against Iran, and allows measures against imports of Russian oil or natural gas. In response, a spokesperson for China's Ministry of Commerce stated that China consistently opposes unilateral sanctions lacking UN authorization and opposes secondary sanctions imposed on other countries. The spokesperson emphasized that China's normal economic and trade cooperation with other nations is based on equality and mutual benefit, is not directed at any third party, and should not be interfered with. China reserves the right to take all necessary measures to safeguard its national sovereignty, development interests, and the legitimate rights of Chinese enterprises. The spokesperson also expressed hope that the U.S. side would maintain stability in economic and trade relations through dialogue and consultation, contributing to the global trading order and the security of global industrial and supply chains.
Read source