China is responding forcefully to new U.S. sanctions against a Chinese military department for purchasing Russian fighter jets and surface to air missile systems in 2017.

CGTN’s Jim Spellman reports.

The sanctions block the department and its director from doing business with U.S. entities, accessing the U.S. financial systems and applying for export licenses. The director also faces a visa ban- limiting his ability to travel to the U.S.

China is responding forcefully to the sanctions.

“The Chinese side expresses its strong indignation of the unreasonable practice of the United States and has raised serious concerns. The United States has seriously violated the basic norms governing international relations and damaged Sino-U.S. military relations,” said Geng Shuang, China Foreign Ministry Spokesperson.

A U.S. State department fact sheet on the new sanctions reads in part:

“…today’s actions are not intended to undermine the military capabilities or combat readiness of any country, but rather to impose costs on Russia in response to its interference in the United States election process, its unacceptable behavior in eastern Ukraine, and other malign activities.”

The new sanctions also hit 33 persons associated with Russia’s military and intelligence services. A total of 72 persons now face sanctions in the ongoing U.S. response to Russian activities.

“As for the new sanctions, which the U.S. has imposed on some Russian legal entities and people, we have stopped getting surprised about them… these sanctions are nothing else but yet another act of unfair competition,” said Sergey Lavrov, Foreign Minister of Russia

China has good relations with its neighbor Russia and says it has broken no international laws and does not target other nations.

“China and Russia are comprehensive strategic cooperative partners. Both sides have been following the principle of equality and mutual trust for reaching win-win results. The two countries have kept normal exchanges and cooperation in various fields including defense. The relevant cooperation aims to maintain the legitimate interests of the two countries and regional peace and stability,” said Geng.

Beijing is calling on Washington to immediately lift the sanctions or be prepared to “bear the consequences.”

Peter Kuznick on new US sanctions on Chinese military agency

CGTN’s Mike Walter spoke with Peter Kuznick about China’s stance that the new sanctions have seriously damaged Sino-U.S. relations. Kuznick is a history professor and director of the Nuclear Studies Institute at American University.