China’s sanctions against relevant U.S. individuals justified, necessary – spokesperson

China’s decision to impose sanctions on relevant U.S. individuals was entirely justified and necessary, and fully demonstrated Chinese government’s firm resolution to safeguard the national interests, an official said.

The Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Hua Chunying, said this on Friday in Beijing at a daily news briefing in response to remarks by Michael McCaul, a ranking member of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee.

China sanctioned 28 U.S. individuals who have seriously violated China’s sovereignty and are mainly responsible for a series of crazy U.S. moves on China-related issues, including former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

China’s sanctions on relevant U.S. individuals are in response to their wrongdoings on China-related issues, Hua said.

Hua added that their acts have gravely violated China’s sovereignty, security and development interests.

Statistics from relevant U.S. agencies show more than 3,900 sanctions were imposed by the Trump administration.

Hua said that such U.S. actions had seriously violated the international law and the basic norms of international relations, and gravely undermined the sovereignty, security and development interests of relevant countries.

“Such actions are unpopular and have been opposed and condemned by the international community,” Hua said.

“We’ve already said that those who impose unilateral sanctions not only hurt others but also themselves,” said Hua.

He added that McCaul’s words had fully exposed the hegemonic and bullying thinking of some U.S. politicians who believe the U.S. can arbitrarily suppress others, but others are not allowed to defend themselves.