China's sanctions against relevant US individuals justified, necessary: spokesperson

BEIJING - China's decision to impose sanctions on relevant US individuals was entirely justified and necessary, and fully demonstrated Chinese government's firm resolution to safeguard the national interests, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said on Friday.

Hua made the remarks at a daily news briefing in response to remarks by Michael McCaul, a ranking member of the US House Foreign Affairs Committee, on China's decision to sanction 28 US individuals who have seriously violated China's sovereignty and are mainly responsible for a series of crazy US moves on China-related issues, including former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

China's sanctions on relevant US individuals are in response to their wrongdoings on China-related issues, Hua said, adding that their acts have gravely violated China's sovereignty, security and development interests.

Statistics from relevant US agencies show more than 3,900 sanctions were imposed by the Trump administration. Hua said that such US 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, adding that McCaul's words had fully exposed the hegemonic and bullying thinking of some US politicians who believe the United States can arbitrarily suppress others, but others are not allowed to defend themselves.