Tensions between the US and China intensified following the decision of US President Donald Trump’s administration to impose sanctions on China for purchasing fighter jets and equipment for surface-to-air missiles from Russia.
The US Department of State on Sept. 20 announced the sanctioning — under Section 231 of last year’s Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) — of the Chinese Ministry of National Defense’s Equipment Development Department (EDD) and its director, Li Shangfu (李尚福), for buying Russian jets and missile equipment.
The transactions involved the purchase of Russian Su-35 combat aircraft and equipment for the S-400 surface-to-air missile system, the State Department statement said.
The US is barring the EDD from obtaining US foreign export licenses, making foreign-exchange transactions within US jurisdictions and using the US financial system. Any EDD property and interests within US control are frozen.
Li is subject to similar restrictions, including not being able to get a US visa.
China and Russia have strongly criticized the US action.
The US was “thoughtlessly undermining” global stability, Russian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Ryabkov said, adding that the US should not “play with fire.”
Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Geng Shuang (耿爽) on Friday said: “The US has seriously violated the basic norms of international relations and disturbed the relationship between China and the US. We strongly call on the US to remedy the mistake and cancel the sanctions. Otherwise, the US has to bear the consequences.”
China is to continue defense cooperation and the development of strategic ties with Russia, Geng added.
Cooperation between China and Russia is aimed at helping the two countries protect their interests, and maintain regional peace and stability. It does not violate international laws or target at any third party.
Summoning the US ambassador, China lodged an official protest over the sanctions and canceled a reported move to send Chinese Vice Premier Liu He (劉鶴) to Washington for talks to end the trade war.
The US Congress chose to enact CAATSA to respond to Russia’s meddling in the 2016 US presidential election.
While the US has imposed several sanctions on Russia, the Trump administration added 33 additional people to Section 231 of CAATSA (“List of Specified Persons”) for being a part of, or operating for or on behalf of, the defense or intelligence sectors of the Russian Federation.
It would be naive to view the US’ punitive action against China as an isolated development.
The Trump administration is puzzled by Beijing’s refusal to address US concerns in bilateral trade and commerce. The US is also angry with Beijing’s uncooperative behavior on Iran, North Korea and other international issues.
Added to the US’ irritation with China is Beijing’s deepening ties with Moscow, its assertive posturing toward Taiwan and the US-China trade balance.
Russia sold about US$15 billion in weapons to China last year.
Beijing bought seven Kamov Ka-32A11VS multi-role helicopters in 2016 and two more last year, and has ordered 150 Saturn AL-31F turbofan engines.
In May, China for the first time conducted military drills south of Taiwan, flying Su-35 fighters with H-6K strategic bombers over the Bashi Channel.
US-China bilateral trade grew by more than 30 percent during the first half of this year, and might exceed US$100 billion this year.
While these developments have been haunting the US military establishment, Russia’s Vostok-2018 military exercise, in which China participated, further angered the US due to it being jointly held and because of its size — it involved nearly 300,000 Russian soldiers, 3,200 Chinese troops, 1,000 aircraft and 900 tanks.
In addition to new tariffs against China, covering another US$200 billion of its imports, Washington ordered Chinese state media to register as foreign agents. The US also approved a US$330 million arms sale to Taiwan.
Rendering ties between the two countries more difficult, Trump on Wednesday accused China of seeking to meddle in the Nov. 6 US midterm elections, saying that Beijing did not want his political party to do well because of his pugnacious stance on trade and due to B-52 bombers conducting operations in the South China Sea.
The Trump administration is now trying on its own to develop a strategy to counter China’s hegemonic behavior.
The US’ decision to impose sanctions on China for buying Russian military hardware will also adversely affect other countries that seek to do so. The State Department has made it clear that Turkey will also be subjected to similar sanctions for ordering S-400 missiles, which are due to be delivered next year.
Experts in Asia forecast that CAATSA will push China and Russia to cooperate further. Only time will tell the extent to which US policy succeeds in containing China’s hegemonic behavior.
Sumit Kumar is a Ministry of Foreign Affairs visiting fellow at National Chengchi University in Taipei and a research fellow at the Chennai Center for China Studies in Chennai, India.
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