China Urges US to Remove All Unilateral Sanctions

China’s top diplomat called on the United States to remove all unilateral sanctions, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Monday.

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi emphasized, in a meeting with US counterpart Wendy Sherman, that Washington should remove all sanctions and tariffs as well as “long-arm jurisdiction” against China as soon as possible.

Wang Yi stressed that the United States should not challenge, defame or try to overthrow China’s system of socialism.

On matters involving Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong, he affirmed that Washington should not harm China’s territorial integrity.

Last Friday, China imposed sanctions on seven top US officials and organizations. The sanctions were in retaliation for measures taken by Washington against Chinese figures in Hong Kong.

Beijing’s blacklist included former US commerce secretary Wilbur Ross, the head of the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC), Carolyn Bartholomew, the non-governmental Hong Kong Democratic Council, and Sophie Richardson, the China director of Human Rights Watch.

Earlier this month, Washington pledged support for the pro-democracy opposition in Hong Kong and imposed sanctions on seven Chinese government officials.

In imposing its new penalties, China deployed a law passed recently to combat foreign sanctions. Precise details of the sanctions were not outlined.