By toeing Washington's line on China, Tokyo will harm itself

The Fumio Kishida government announced sanctions against some foreign entities, including several Chinese companies, for their alleged support to Russia in the Ukraine crisis on Friday. It was the first time that Japan has sanctioned Chinese companies for that reason.

About two weeks ago, the US announced new sanctions targeting more than 300 entities from Russia and China.

None of these sanctions have been authorized by any world body or international organization. These sanctions are the geopolitical tools of the US and its allies. Their lack of legitimacy in international law is self-evident.

Under the framework of international law, China has the right to carry out normal economic and trade cooperation with all countries, including Russia. This is China's legitimate right and it should not be hindered or smeared by any country.

Neither Washington nor Tokyo has offered any credible evidence proving their charges against China over the Ukraine crisis. Instead, China has been actively promoting peace talks and pushing for a political settlement of the crisis. China is neither the creator nor a party to the Ukraine crisis, and it has never poured fuel on fire or taken advantage of the crisis for profit.

Weaponizing sanctions for one's own narrow end is a typical act of unilateral bullying and economic coercion.

China firmly opposes unilateral sanctions that have no basis in international law, and that normal economic and trade cooperation China conducts with Russia on the basis of equality and mutual benefit is its legitimate right and should not be distorted.

In disregard of China's solemn position, Japan insists on following the US' lead in imposing illegal sanctions on Chinese companies, which will inevitably invite corresponding measures from China.

China and Japan are two neighbors that enjoy close and extensive economic and trade links, and Japan should cherish its ties with China, which is particularly important to Japan, plagued as it is by a lingering economic dilemma. Tokyo should immediately stop going further in destroying Sino-Japanese relations.