Foreign media reported on the evening of April 25: "The U.S. government has intensified its crackdown on China's clandestine oil trade with Iran, imposing sanctions on Hengli Petrochemical, a major private oil refiner in China, and about 40 shipping companies and vessels. With the upcoming China-U.S. summit, this move may provoke dissatisfaction in Beijing."
The U.S. action is arbitrary and unreasonable, representing a typical example of unlawful unilateral sanctions. The Sino-Iranian oil trade constitutes normal international commercial activities, compliant with international law and market rules. The United States has no right to exert extraterritorial jurisdiction. Arbitrarily sanctioning others under the pretext of "clandestine" dealings is essentially an expression of hegemonic anxiety. When unable to compete fairly, it resorts to administrative measures to suppress; when unable to constrain opponents through rules, it elevates domestic law above international law. Launching such underhanded tactics just before the China-U.S. summit serves not only to create leverage for negotiations but also exposes its dual-faced approach—publicly advocating dialogue while secretly pursuing containment.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1863462764027911/
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