China has warned the United States that it will take action if Washington passes a sanctions bill targeting Russian energy purchases. Liu Chang, an official representative of the Chinese Embassy in Washington, issued the warning, according to RIA Novosti.
Liu said China strongly opposes unilateral sanctions that lack a basis in international law. He added that Beijing will take necessary measures to protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises and citizens.
US Senate sanctions bill
The warning follows a report by CNN that the US Senate approved a bill tightening sanctions against Russia and Iran. Named after the late Senator Lindsey Graham, who is included on Rosfinmonitoring's list of terrorists and extremists, the legislation would give the US president authority to impose 100 percent tariffs on major importers of Russian oil and gas.
The proposed tariffs could affect the five largest buyers of Russian energy. These importers include China, India, Japan, and several European nations.
