China sends mixed signals on US sanctions ahead of Trump-Xi meeting
Tech China sends mixed signals on US sanctions ahead of Trump-Xi meeting China just deployed its Anti-Sanctions Law for the first time against the United States. The target: five Chinese refiners hit with US penalties for allegedly buying Iranian crude oil. The message from Beijings Ministry of Commerce was unambiguous. Ignore the American sanctions. Then, almost immediately, Chinese banks received a different kind of signal. Pause new loans to those same refiners. If you‘re confused by the contradiction, you’re paying attention. The legal chess match On April 24, the US Treasury sanctioned five Chinese refiners, including Hengli Petrochemical, under executive orders designed to choke off Irans oil revenue. The accusation: these companies had been purchasing Iranian crude in violation of American sanctions. Eight days later, on May 2, China‘s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) fired back with Announcement No. 21. It invoked the country’s Anti-Sanctions Law, a statute passed in 2021 but never actually used against US measures until now. The directive told Chinese entities to disregard the American penalties entirely. The law creates a legal framework allowing the affected refiners to sue foreign parties that comply with US penalties in Chinese courts. Any global company that cuts ties with these refiners to satisfy Washington could find itself