China condemns US threat of secondary sanctions over Russia energy trade

The United States Congress has passed the ‘Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026,’ a legislative measure that grants the U.S. President broad authority to impose secondary sanctions. The bill targets entities and individuals perceived to be supporting Russia’s defense industry or its war effort in Ukraine, including high-ranking officials, state agencies, and energy companies. It specifically mentions Russia’s ‘shadow fleet’ of oil tankers and those involved in evading existing sanctions.

China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has formally condemned the legislation, labeling it an illegal exercise of ‘long-arm jurisdiction.’ Beijing stated that its economic and trade cooperation with other nations, including Russia, is conducted independently and should not be subject to external coercion or interference. The Ministry emphasized that unilateral sanctions lacking a United Nations Security Council mandate have no basis in international law.

The proposed sanctions represent a significant shift from previous U.S. policy, which typically targeted specific individuals or companies. This new framework allows for more generalized sanctions and could include tariffs of up to 100% on countries purchasing energy from Russia.