Chinese lawmakers are making progress on legislation to retaliate against foreign sanctions amid the country’s growing rivalry with the US.
A Chinese National People’s Congress (NPC) committee filed the second draft of legislation aimed at countering sanctions imposed by foreign governments, the official Xinhua news agency reported late on Monday.
Xinhua said the legislation would provide legal backing for countering “discriminatory measures by a foreign country in accordance with the law.”
The move shows that China is following through with a March vow to expand its legal toolkit as it battles the US on a range of fronts, from allegations of human rights abuses in the western Xinjiang region to limitations on the types of technology China can import.
The administration of former US president Donald Trump sanctioned at least 45 Chinese officials over their role in Beijing tightening its grip on Hong Kong and in setting policies for Xinjiang, including 15 members of the NPC.
The Chinese government hit back with sanctions of its own, including punishments aimed at US senators Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz, but those lacked bite given the US dollar’s dominance in international finance.
That spurred the Chinese Communist Party to seek other ways to get even with foreign governments and firms for what it sees as interference in domestic matters.
In January, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce issued rules that would allow China’s courts to punish global companies for complying with foreign sanctions, although the ministry provided few details.
“This is about reducing US hegemonic thinking and actions,” Mei Xinyu (梅新育), part of a research group under the ministry in Beijing, said of the proposed law. “It is also a warning for countries that follow the US in encroaching on China’s rights and a reminder that there is a price to pay for unjustifiable actions toward China.”
Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi (王毅) used an address in March to warn US President Joe Biden not to meddle in China’s affairs, and called on the US to end penalties on Chinese firms.
The NPC’s 175-member standing committee is meeting until tomorrow in Beijing.
State-run Global Times said it expects the draft law to be put up for a vote soon.
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