China Opposes UK Sanctions on 11 Chinese Firms over Russia Ties

China has strongly condemned the United Kingdom's recent sanctions against 11 Chinese companies, which were imposed due to alleged ties to Russia. Chinese officials and the Ministry of Commerce argue that these sanctions lack a legal basis under international law and United Nations authorization, urging the UK to immediately revoke the measures to protect legitimate Chinese business interests. Beijing warns that the sanctions could harm the positive momentum in China-UK economic and trade relations and negatively impact bilateral cooperation. The UK sanctions package, part of a broader move targeting Russia's energy and defense sectors, also involved Chinese refineries and port operators, which China insists are engaged in normal and legitimate trade activities. These tensions come amid political fallout in the UK over a collapsed espionage case involving two British men accused of spying for China, fueling concerns about national security and diplomatic relations. China has further cautioned that such actions by the UK could backfire and damage efforts to foster mutual respect and cooperation between the two countries.