The United States imposed sanctions on Thursday against the military company of the China Equipment Development Department (EDD) for having bought weapons from a Russian company.
The sanctions hit the company and its director, Li Shangfu. According to the US government, EDD bought products from state-owned Rosoboronexport, Russia's largest arms exporter, which had previously been sanctioned by Washington.
Now the company responsible for the Chinese Army's weapons and equipment is prohibited from making financial transactions in the United States, it will not be able to export products to American territory and all its properties will be embargoed.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang called this measure "irrational" and announced that China has already filed a formal complaint for what it considers a violation of international standards, which affects relations between the two countries.
"We strongly urge the United States to solve this problem and withdraw these sanctions," Geng told a news conference, warning that "otherwise the US will have to deal with the consequences."
The spokesman also argued that Beijing and Moscow are "strategic partners" and that their exchanges, including those related to national defense, are based on mutual trust and compliance with international standards.
The Chinese company was warned to acquire Su-35 fighter jets in 2017 and, in 2018, equipment related to the S-400 air-to-surface missile system, according to the US State Department.
One of the American officials who spoke to the press insisted that sanctions against the Chinese company in fact target Moscow and do not seek to undermine China's defense capability.
(With EFE)
