The US imposed sanctions Thursday against China's military for its purchases of Russian military equipment in a move US officials said is meant to punish Moscow for its "malign activities," including attacks on American elections.
“Today's actions are not intended to undermine the military capabilities or combat readiness of any country,” the State Department said in a statement, “but rather to impose costs on Russia in response to its interference in the United States election process, its unacceptable behavior in eastern Ukraine, and other malign activities.”
The penalties were applied under a law that requires the US to sanction anyone undertaking significant transactions with certain people affiliated with Russian intelligence and military services, including arms manufacturers. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also expanded that blacklist Thursday, adding the names of 33 Russians to bring the total roster to 72 people.
Pompeo, in consultation with Treasury Secretary Stephen Mnuchin, imposed sanctions on the Chinese military's Equipment Development Department and its director, Li Shangfu, for purchasing Su-35 combat aircraft and an S-400 surface-to-air missile system from Russia.
“This is a significant step,” a senior administration official told reporters. The official said it was the first time anyone has been sanctioned for doing business with people on the blacklist of Russian operatives.
That list is mandated by the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, passed by Congress amid concern that President Donald Trump would not take tough action against Russia and could even move to ease sanctions on Moscow.
The official was unable to say how much the Chinese company had spent on the Russian equipment but said deliveries had taken place in December and January.
The goal of expanding the blacklist, the administration official said, was to make people “think twice” about doing business with anyone on it.
“We hope (it) will be a signal to avoid to doing business with these people,” the official said.
Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Geng Shuang said Friday, Beijing “expresses its indignation” over the sanctions, and was already in “solemn negotiation” with Washington.
“(The sanctions) have severely violated the basic norms of international relations and damaged the relations between the two countries and two militaries,” Geng said at a daily press conference. “We strongly urge the US side to correct the mistakes immediately and revoke the so-called sanctions. Otherwise, the US has to bear the consequences of it.”
The newly expanded blacklist includes the 25 Russian nationals who were indicted by special counsel Robert Mueller for interfering in the 2016 presidential election by hacking Democratic targets and spreading propaganda on social media.
The State Department announcement said all of these individuals are involved in the “intelligence sector” of the Russian government.
