China condemns new US sanctions law targeting Russia and Iran as illegal overreach

China’s Foreign Ministry wasted no time responding to Washington’s latest sanctions salvo. On September 17, spokesperson Guo Jiakun condemned the newly enacted US legislation targeting Russia and Iran, calling it an illegal unilateral measure that lacks United Nations Security Council approval. The timing is pointed. China happens to be one of the world’s largest importers of Russian oil and gas, placing it squarely in the crosshairs of a law that imposes tariffs of up to 100% on major buyers of Russian energy exports. What the law actually does The legislation, formally titled the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, cleared the House of Representatives on September 16 with a 262-159 vote. President Donald Trump signed it into law on September 18, after earlier Senate approval. The bill does two major things. First, it dramatically expands US sanctions against Russia by authorizing tariffs of up to 100% on countries that are top importers of Russian oil and gas. Second, it extends the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 for an additional five years, pushing its expiration out to 2031. The US government frames the measures as economic pressure designed to choke off Rus...