Beijing stands against US sanctions

Beijing said on Friday that sanctions, containment and oppression cannot stop China's development, and will only strengthen the country's resolve and ability to seek self-reliance and technological innovation.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning made the remarks as it was reported that the United States government began an official probe into an advanced made-in-China chip housed within Huawei Technologies' latest smartphone, the Mate 60 Pro.

The handset was unveiled last week while US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo was on her four-day trip to China.

Mao said at a daily news conference that China always opposes politicizing trade and technology issues as well as overstretching and abusing the concept of national security.

The US has abused state power to suppress Chinese companies, which violates the principles of free trade and international trade rules, and disrupts the stability of global industrial and supply chains, Mao said.

Such a practice benefits no one and will eventually backfire, she added.

Washington has imposed a series of restrictions against Huawei and China's chip industry over the past two years.

In another development, Mao announced that Vice-Premier Zhang Guoqing will attend the eighth Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Russia, from Sunday to Tuesday.

The forum serves as an important platform for countries in the Asia-Pacific region to build up consensus on cooperation and seek common development, Mao said.

President Xi Jinping attended the forum in 2018 and 2021, and delivered important speeches.

Mao added that China hopes to work with Russia through the upcoming visit to deepen Northeast China-Russian Far East cooperation and jointly advance regional development.

The forum was launched in 2015 to support the economic development of Russia's Far East and to expand international cooperation among Asia-Pacific countries.